Pensions increase in bid to woo older voters

IRELAND’S old-age pensioners may have thought their courting days were over but the Government yesterday began efforts to woo them in advance of the General Election.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen’s budget fulfilled a long-standing commitment to push the weekly State pension past €200 in a move seen as an attempt to woo the ‘grey vote’. Yesterday’s increase to just over €209 is over double the €99 rate of a decade ago.

Other measures to benefit the over-65s Mr Cowen announced included significant tax breaks.