“A delay in paying increases to Social Welfare recipients would be both reprehensible and disappointing, say Age Action”
Age Action is shocked at the suggestion that any increase in the State Pension might be delayed. Any such delay would be very disappointing and a blow to some of the most vulnerable in society, those dependent on our social and health systems.
Contact Gerard Scully 01 4756989
Note to Editors:
Here are Age Actions key requests for Budget 2017
1. Increase the weekly State Pension by €5 per week, in line with the commitment made in the Fine Gael manifesto, to continue to restore real value to this important payment and to build towards achieving the Government’s objective of a State Pension set at 35 per cent of average weekly earnings [Cost: €130 million].
2. Restore the Fuel Allowance and the full Telephone Allowance and the over the next two budgets. In Budget 2017 we recommend extending the Fuel Allowance scheme by four weeks and reversing the October 2013 cut to the Telephone Allowance. Budget 2018 should reintroduce the full Telephone Allowance [Cost: €83 million].
3. Increase home help hours and reverse the decline in the quality of the service by providing an additional 4.1 million hours to ensure a service that meets the diverse needs of a growing number of older people. [Cost: €73.8 million].
4. Remove the prescription charge for medical card holders [Cost: €120 million].
