Commissioner needed for ageing and older people
The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, representing seven leading older persons organisations, is calling on all political parties to support their call to create an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People.
The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, representing seven leading older persons organisations, is calling on all political parties to include a commitment in their manifestos, ahead of the next general election, to establish an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People and to re-launch the National Positive Ageing Strategy with a strong implementation and monitoring plan and a ring-fenced budget.
According to ‘Taking stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people?’, a review launched by the Alliance, there has been a significant failure to deliver many of Ireland’s policy commitments for ageing and older people.
The review sets out the extensive range of policy commitments relevant to our ageing population as described in key government publications and provides a summary of the progress made in the various areas.
Some key points on the government’s performance in this area to date include that the Government has made good or ‘promising’ progress in some areas. A ‘B’ grade was awarded on the combat of ageism to reflect the very recent development and launch of the national campaign in this space by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, an independent public body that accounts directly to the Oireachtas.
A ‘B’ grade was also awarded to reflect the introduction of the ‘Long-Term Carer Contributions’ scheme which will make it easier for long-term family carers to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory) when they reach pension age.
One ‘F’ and four ‘E’ grades were awarded for, among other issues, the failure to publish waiting lists for housing adaptations; failure to develop an implementation plan so as to translate the National Positive Ageing Strategy into action on the ground; failure to benchmark State pension payments; and failure to develop a plan aimed at tackling loneliness and isolation among older people. Several ‘C-’ and ‘D’ grades were also awarded across the 15 shortlisted areas. Together, this shows a lack of significant progress and strong implementation across a range of long-standing policy commitments relevant to positive ageing.
In a recent Red C poll commissioned by Sage Advocacy, 81% of respondents wanted to see the introduction of a Commissioner for Older People. Independent commissioners, with strong track records of achievements directly for older people, are already in place in both Northern Ireland and Wales.
Proposals for similar commissioners in England and Scotland are also well advanced. At present, policy for older people in Ireland is the responsibility of the Department of Health — but older people have needs and rights far beyond this department. An Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People would have a much broader remit that recognises the full capacity and potential of older people, covering their needs and rights across the spectrum, not just in terms of health, care, frailty, and vulnerability.
Seán Moynihan, Alone CEO on behalf of the Alliance said: “There has been no shortage of policy statements relevant to ageing and older people, from as far back as 1968 through to the more recent, albeit now eleven-year-old, National Positive Ageing Strategy. Many of the commitments set out in these policy frameworks have yet to be meaningfully advanced or benefited from coordinated implementation.
"Much of the policy content though remains valid. We are calling on this current government, and indeed all political parties heading into a new election cycle, to implement outstanding commitments and to support the establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People — an office holder who would act as a ‘champion’ with a cross-departmental brief to prioritise older people’s issues’’.
Áine Brady, Alliance member and CEO of Third Age, said: “Collectively, we need to hold government to account on the pledges that have been made in respect of positive ageing as these are the issues that can make a real difference to the lived experience of our older adult population. We see this spotlighting exercise as a call to action to government to work on a cross-departmental basis to improve the delivery of programmes, services and supports for older people."
