Older people reeling from cuts

Age Action is alarmed by comments by the IMF that the Government needs to cut key supports for older people such as free travel and free electricity/gas units, and Over-70s medical cards, and “assess the appropriateness of the real state pension rate”.

The comments are contained in the IMF’s fifth review, March 2, which states that older people have “remained largely unaffected by recent welfare adjustments”.

Age Action believes the comments suggest that the IMF officials have been poorly informed as to the full extent of the impact which cuts to key supports and services have had on older people in Ireland in recent years. The IMF statement cites an Irish newspaper analysis article to support claims that older people have been largely unaffected by welfare changes. We would greatly welcome the opportunity to meet the IMF’s representatives during their next visit to give them a more considered view of the crippling impact which cuts have had on older people in Ireland.

Age Action’s pre-budget submission, published last September, listed 19 policy changes which had hurt older people. Since its publication more cuts have come, including a 18%-25% reduction in free gas/electricity units under the Household Benefits Package, a reduction of six weeks in the means-tested winter fuel allowance, changes to eligibility rates for the State Contributory Pension, and savage cuts to the HSE’s budget which will result in a cut of 500,000 in home help hours and the closure of 555 and 898 public nursing home beds.

If the IMF is going to make constructive suggestions to the Irish government as to where it should cut, it should do so on an informed basis. Age Action would be happy to brief the fund’s officials on the reality of life in Ireland for pensioners. We would expect that our politicians and policy makers would also put the IMF straight on these issues.

Eamon Timmins

Head of Advocacy and Communications

Age Action

Dublin 2