Keeping the State Pension safe

Thanks to the many thousands of people who signed Older & Bolder’s petition asking the Government not to cut State Pensions in the Budget on Wednesday 9th. We received a tremendous response to the campaign and the support from around the country has been heartening. With the assistance of some hardy bikers the petitions were presented at Dáil Eireann on Friday December 4th and received by Minister Mary Hanafin’s private secretary. The Minister herself was not available.

There have been media reports over the weekend that State Pensions are safe and will be excluded from cuts in the Budget.  However, Older & Bolder has not been given any assurances that older people’s pensions are safe.  We are told that final determinations have not been made; the Government has consistently stated that all areas of public spending are under review in this Budget and that no sector of social welfare could be ruled out for cuts.  

We are advising older people to keep the pressure up until Budget Day in order to ensure that our message is heard and that cuts to basic supports like the State Pension, fuel allowance and household benefit packages will not be made.

We do know that politicians are aware of Older & Bolder’s campaign to protect older people’s basic supports and are monitoring public responses to proposed budget changes. In the days remaining, there is a merit in contacting your TDs and key Ministers, either by telephone or email, to re-state your view that the State Pension and basic supports should not be cut.

Please take a few minutes to ring or email one of the key Ministers below or own your local TD. You can find your local TD's contact details on the Oireachtas web site.

Áine Brady: Minister for Older People and Health Promotion
01-6183057
aine.brady@oireachtas.ie
 
Mary Hanafin: Minister for Social and Family Affairs
01-7043029 
mary.hanafin@welfare.ie
 
Brian Lenihan: Minister for Finance
01- 822 0970
brianlenihantd@gmail.com
 
Brian Cowan: An Taoiseach
057-9321976
taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
 
Your calls and emails will be logged and your action today may help to keep older people’s State Pensions and basic supports safe.