Experts tell Citizens' Assembly pensioners should be able to access cash tied up in their home

The Citizens' Assembly has heard calls for pensioners to be able to access funds tied up in their home in order to alleviate low income after retirement.

The group is being addressed by experts today, ahead of voting on its final conclusions tomorrow on how policy makers should respond to the challenges of our ageing population.

Recent research shows that people aged 66 and over had an average gross income of just over €19,000 and that one in 10 of them were impoverished.

A range of expert speakers will today consider topics including why people are not taking out pensions and income opportunities for people in retirement.

The Assembly will vote by secret ballot tomorrow on a series of recommendations, which will form the basis of a report for the Oireachtas.

In June, members decided on what aspects of the topic they would like to consider and a work programme has been developed to reflect this.

This afternoon, there are speakers from the Pensions Authority of Ireland, ESRI, Age Action Ireland, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and Age and Opportunity.