Press Release

Age Action has launched its first Christmas single which it hopes will spread a little festive cheer, while raising much needed funds for its work with older people.

Age Action has urged the Government to bring forward the payment date for the €100 grant for households  in order to reduce the impact which the water charges will have on low income families.

Trudy Nealon (70) from Laois has been named as the overall winner of 2014 Google Silver Surfer Awards with Age Action. Trudy uses technology on a daily basis for everything, as treasurer of the Portlaoise Active Retirement Association, she is also responsible for the administration of the club, managing its finances and membership database.

Age Action today launched a booklet on the lived experience of growing older in Ireland which highlights the wide ranging impact which austerity is having on older people.

Age Action has given a guarded welcome to Budget 2015, noting that some measures announced today will ease a little of the hardship being experienced by groups of older people who have been struggling to cope in the wake of a series of austerity budgets.

Age Action today urged the Government to take meaningful steps in the forthcoming Budget to assist older people who are struggling as a result of the cumulative effect of recent austerity budgets.

Ireland’s largest celebration of positive ageing commences tomorrow (October 1) when hundreds of events - from tea parties and social outings, to concerts and cultural events - take place to mark Age Action’s Positive Ageing Week.

Age Action is concerned about the delay in the introduction of Universal Health Care, while it welcomes the commitment by the Minister of Health Leo Varadkar TD to universal access to GP services. 

Age Action has urged the general public to check on older neighbours, especially those living alone, during the current warm weather, with Met Eireann forecasting temperatures of 26 or 27 degrees today and over the coming days.

Age  Action has warmly welcomed the Government’s commitment to protect the Travel Pass scheme for older people, and the inclusion of this commitment  in its statement of priorities for the remaining three years of the current  administration.