Your Views 1

We have received a tremendous response to our petition to defend the State Pension for Older people from a proposed cut. Older & Bolder have been inundated with hundreds of comments, displayed below is a small selection of your views. Use the comments box to add your own voice. Remember the deadline for our petition is 1st December 2009.

It grieved me when the Christmas bonus was removed. My pension is my sole source of income, by the time all of the bills have been paid and that includes car tax fuel & maintenance there is very little left; I know that it will be struggle to insure the car in February. Pensioners in rural Ireland have to have their own transport and to do so we need a liveable pension. M, Laois.

Let all these politicians do away with their ridiculous expenses, get rid of the Senate and do the same with Councillors. Then they can talk. C, Dublin.

I worked all my life from the age of sixteen. I paid all my Taxes and can honestly say that I never cheated or took advantage of the system (unlike our politicians). Now I have Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinsonism. I cannot work and if I could, who would employ me?  I am 56 years of age. I have only been unable to work for the past three years.  I don't want expensive holidays or luxury goods. All I ask is to be able to maintain my present standard of living and keep my beautiful home. Don't cut my benefit!!!!!! K, Wexford

We have carried the country for years, now leave us alone. We are struggling as it is. N, Dublin 12

I agree totally with what the campaign is at. I want peace & tranquility in my older years. I should not have to worry about what damage a corrupt government is going to do to me next. E, Clare

Please do not make old people pay for the Governments mistakes! A, Wicklow

We have a duty of care to our most vulnerable citizens. We cannot allow cutting state pensions will be a huge blow to many of our senior citizens and it cannot be allowed to happen. H, Wicklow

By all means tax people who can afford it and leave pensioners alone. P, Wicklow

Leave our older people alone. S, Limerick

My Nan is 89 years of age. She's lucky she has a great family, but some elderly people who live near her aren't so lucky. Its about time we started to look after our elderly people. Only for them we would not be here. J, Dublin

Was advised of this petition by a neighbour, and will be advising fellow-retirees to do likewise. P, Wexford

I support the campaign, given the contribution to Irish society made by people in my age-group, and the importance of maintaining our dignity and independence. A cut to our incomes will give rise to social problems which will cost very dear to address. P, Dublin 6

I am due to retire in 2010 after raising a family and working and paying my taxes etc for over 50 long hard but enjoyable years. I trust that our government will, as they should, provide me with what i have worked so hard toward and indeed paid for all my life.  MY PENSION, R, Kildare 

We need our money. It’s hard enough to cope. E, Wexford

I think in light of the appalling mess that the government has made of this country and to see the banks and their senior management emerge unscathed it is an absolute disgrace to consider reducing the Old Age Pension. These people have worked their entire lives for this state and it is a basic right to maintain their current standard of living. J, Wexford

I thoroughly support you - well done. A, Dublin 9

I think this is another very bad mistake and is not worthy of any government, Dublin 6

I disagree with the state pension being cut. M, Leitrim

This is a disgrace its back to cutting the worst off and the most vulnerable in society. Why have the Ministers not topped salaries of bankers that we are paying good money for to get out of trouble and executives in state agencies eg FAS HSE RTE etc. A, Westmeath

My parents rely heavily on their pension to pay essential bills and have a little left over to still enjoy life. S, Limerick

This is going to the bottom of the barrel to attack the elderly again. People would take the politicians more seriously if they cut back their wages to €100,000 plus their other expenses and see if they can manage to live. A, Dublin 15

Please leave the vulnerable people in society alone, and look elsewhere to make the necessary cuts. F, Dublin 24

We will remember them by reducing their income!!! Please let us have an early election. Dublin 14

It would be a travesty of justice if the State Pension is reduced. After working for more than 46 years it is the only income that many older folk have. If done it would be a grave injustice that would rank with the infamy of Ernest Blythe reduction in 1924 of the pension.  In political circles this enormous mistake has never been forgotten. M & A, Kildare

It's really bad if we are to lose the extra money for Christmas and now to take another 5% from us. I can't see them being that stupid twice. D, Co. Dublin

How unfair can you be?  Take from the HAVES not the HAVE NOTS.  Stop the multiple pensions of ex Ministers (T.D.). Do not ASK judges will they agree to a cut - everyone else who is in a job HAD to accept one, why not THEM?  We were prudent, worked, saved and were responsible.  We did not make this MESS!!  Let those who made it pay for it, if it happened in USA they would be in JAIL. K, Co. Dublin

Do not touch the very people that have built this country.  Totally un-acceptable. A, Cork.

I think the older people should be left alone, only for their work ethic in the past, our country would not have seen any good times at all. It was not all down to construction, and job creation over the past 10 years ago. It was by the sheer hard work of our now elderly that got this country on its feet. Also they did not share the comforts of the Celtic tiger. P, Wexford

If this is true then the final betrayal of the Republic is underway. Where is the patriotism that the wealthy espouse for everyone else. 'Raise my taxes and I leave the country'! The 'raiders' get away scot free. L, Wicklow

I am very happy to sign your petition and am very disappointed to hear that our Christmas bonus will not be paid this year.  I am on invalidity pension and have not had a holiday for over 10 years due to illness and i find i have just enough to live on by being very frugal with my allowance.  Many thanks for the wonderful work you do. M, Kilkenny

Lets hope he see sense and not to touch the pension. P, Dublin 12

Do not make the elderly suffer the wastefulness of the government. P, Sligo

I think its disgusting that they see fit to do this to the elderly people the very people who have contributed to this country all their lives and now this is how they treat them they should be ashamed of their selves, one day they will be elderly too!! K, Tipperary

It is about time the poorer got richer and the wealthy copped on! E, Dublin 9

If younger people don't like the current situation, they can hop on a plane and try their luck elsewhere (if they have any sense!).  At 65 plus, unfortunately, that ain't an option ... P, Co. Limerick

A reduction in pension to many older people will mean a reduction in food, medicine and heating.  In this financial climate a reduction in pension would definitely reduce the quality of life of many older people living on fixed incomes. L, Dublin