Human Rights

This report presents four research papers on legal aspects of older people’s right to care. The papers have been prepared for Older & Bolder on a pro bono basis by a group of legal professionals working through the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), a project of the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC).

Care in Old Age: Legal Perspectives (Download PDF: 534 KB) 

The Government’s cynical decision to discontinue the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant is today condemned by Older & Bolder.  Ms. Patricia Conboy, director of Older & Bolder said: “Successive Governments have been acting illegally in the implementation of these schemes for 12 years and have knowingly done so for the past 4 years. This current Government is now achieving legality with an action that defies logic and compassion”.  

The Government’s cynical decision to discontinue the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant is today condemned by Older & Bolder.  Ms. Patricia Conboy, director of Older & Bolder said: “Successive Governments have been acting illegally in the implementation of these schemes for 12 years and have knowingly done so for the past 4 years. This current Government is now achieving legality with an action that defies logic and compassion”.  

Members of the Older & Bolder alliance are calling for the fair implementation of the property tax.  The legislation before the Oireachtas today should take account of an individual’s ability to pay. This is a principle that applies to all age groups but we in Older & Bolder are particularly concerned about older people who own their own homes, who are now on low, fixed incomes and who are confronted with a new tax that takes no account of their circumstances. 

Joint Press Statement: 20 November 2012

Issued on behalf of The Wheel, Disability Federation of Ireland, Carers Association, Irish Rural Link, Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups, National Youth Council of Ireland and Older & Bolder.

Read our letter in Thursday's Irish times (21st June) where we call for the Minister to take a more proactive approach to informing citizens about implications of changes to State pension system ...

Sir, – Sheila Gorman (June 20th) highlighted the fact that she will not have a State pension on retirement from her job at the age of 65 due to an increase in qualifying age for the State pension to 66, effective from 2014. The loss of anticipated income is not the only difficulty she and others in her circumstances will face.

The Irish Hospice Foundation, a member of the Older & Bolder alliance, is holding a public meeting on Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) Orders next Wednesday (6th June) at 6pm in the Alexander Hotel in Dublin. All are welcome to this free lecture.

This year's Say No To Ageism Week takes place from June 4th to 8th. It is a good time to consider the affects of ageism in our society. The week provides an opportunity to remind us of the consequences of ageism in service provision. It is a time to renew our commitment to combating ageism in society.  Older people's identities are often replaced by a negative stereotype that denies them access to full participation in society.  The theme this year is a positive affirmation: "I Say No to Ageism". So much can be achieved when a negative attitude is changed to a positive.

Older & Bolder today (18th April) called on Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton to launch a public awareness campaign to highlight radical changes to the Contributory  State pension linked to the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill commencing in the Dáil this week. 

While the changes to qualifying contributions will affect some people from as early as this year, so far the complicated changes have not been clearly highlighted to citizens.      

Older & Bolder today welcomes calls from the Seanad to bolster the rights of older people. 

The Report on the Rights of Older People  published today by the Seanad Public Consultation committee  calls for wide-ranging legal amendments and makes recommendations that could really make a difference to the quality of older people’s lives.