Number of pensioners to treble to 1.4m over next 30 years

THE number of pensioners in Ireland will treble over the next 30 years, with the elderly living in rural areas to suffer most, a conference in Galway has been told.

According to the last census in 2006, there were 468,000 people aged 65 or older — about 11% of the population.

Data compiled by the Healthy Ageing in Rural Communities (HARC) research network showed that by 2041, the number of people in this country aged 65 or older will be 1.4 million. The conference heard those in rural areas had lower incomes than their urban peers but had bigger costs like transport.