Older People relieved at no further cuts to State Pension [09/12/09]

Older & Bolder, an alliance of seven of the country’s leading organisations that champion older people’s rights in Ireland, has today (Wednesday, 9 December) said that the country’s older people will feel relieved that there have been no further cuts to the State Pension.  Welcoming the Government’s decision to leave the State Pension almost intact – apart from the 2% cut due to the suspension of the Christmas Bonus – Older & Bolder’s Project Director, Patricia Conboy, said that this decision was due to the active campaigning by thousands of older people around the country.

Speaking immediately after the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD, made his Budget Speech in the Dáil this afternoon, Patricia Conboy, said that the Government’s decision to protect the State Pension will be important in reducing the risk of poverty for older people.  However, Ms Conboy added that Older & Bolder will over the coming days be carefully assessing a range of different measures announced today – including the reduction in funding for health services as well as the introduction of prescription charges, water charges, the Universal Social Contribution, property and carbon taxes – to see what impact they will have on older people.

“The CSO SILC (Survey on Income and Living Conditions) results for 2008, published recently, highlight the risk of poverty for older people. Before all social transfers (State Pension, Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits):

•         96% of older people living alone are at risk of poverty;
•         84% of older people aged 65-74 are at risk of poverty;
•         90% of older people aged 75+ are at risk of poverty.

Any reduction in these transfers would have resulted in a direct increase in the risk of poverty to older people. Accordingly, the safeguarding of these key supports in today’s Budget is to be welcomed.”

Patricia Conboy explained that a recent Older & Bolder report on the effects of the recession on older people’s quality of life illustrates that older people are now financially stretched as far as they can go. 

“Cost saving techniques such as heating and living in one room in the house; shopping for discounted and cheaper food and fuel products and avoiding purchase of new clothes and furnishings are already being used by older people to stretch their income.  .”

Older & Bolder’s members include Active Retirement Ireland, Age & Opportunity, Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Carers Association, Irish Hospice Foundation, Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and the Senior Help Line. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jemma Hogan, Montague Communications on 01- 8303116 or 085 722 9024
For release: 5.00 pm, Wednesday, 9 December 2009