Assistance to Pensioners and welfare recipients

The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament supports the call for Assistance to Pensioners and welfare recipients

Action is needed now to ensure that people have heat and hot food. We ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to make a hardship payment to pensioners and welfare recipients of a sum equivalent to one week’s pension or welfare payment.

With weather conditions expected to drop to -12 degrees over the coming week it is important that people are given the money to enable them to heat their homes and buy hot food. After Christmas those on low incomes are always short of money. This year the shortage of money is compounded by the non payment of the Additional Week at Christmas and also the reduction in payments to those aged under 66.

Speaking today Mairead Hayes CEO of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament said “This is the longest and coldest period of weather in Ireland for over 50 years. Decisive action must be taken now to deal with it. All efforts must be made to protect life and limb.  This is an emergency and all organs of government must be mobilised to deal with it”.

“Continuing she asked all in the community to call on their older and vulnerable neighbours to see if they can help in any way. She particularly called on Older People to take the initiative and get in touch with their neighbours and ask them for assistance.

Staying Safe in the “Big Freeze”

If you must enter out in the icy weather please ensure the following safety precautions:

• Wrap up, wear layers and
• Bulky coat.
• Wear boots with non skid soles.
• Wear a brightly coloured scarf or hat or reflective gear to ensure you are visible to motorists.
• Take a walking stick with you and ensure the rubber tip is not worn out.
• Avoid shortcuts and stay on main well lit footpaths.
• Keep hands out of pockets and this decreases your centre of gravity and balance.
• Watch were you are going.
• Walk slowly and don’t rush.

Remember you can contact the HSE information line if you are experiencing difficulties 1850 241850.

Attn: Members of the Cork division

Due to adverse weather conditions the scheduled meeting of the ISCP Cork division on Monday 8^th January has been cancelled. The next meeting of the Cork division will be on Monday 8^th February @11am in Connolly Hall.



Nollaig shona 2009

Budget 2010 – News in Brief

The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament has issued a special “News in Brief” outlining the impact of Budget 2010 on Older People.

Click here: News in Brief Budget 2010 to view / download the newsletter (pdf format).

Budget 2010 & Older People

“Reaction to Budget 2010 is mixed as far as Older People are concerned” said Máiréad Hayes CEO of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament today following the announcement of the Budget. “While the State Pension has not been touched per se, we must remember that Older People’s income has already been reduced by 2% by the withdrawal of the additional payment at Christmas” continued Ms Hayes.

“In addition we note that the new carbon tax will impact on vulnerable pensioners especially those 10% of Older People who are already living in fuel poverty. It is older people living alone, on low incomes, in older housing stock – which tends to be poorly insulated – that are currently struggling to heat their homes. It is these people that must be protected.

“Other Budget items impacting on Older People include the new 50c prescription charge. 96% of older people living alone are at risk of poverty, according to the CSO SILC (Survey on Income and Living Conditions) published two weeks ago. A previous Minister for Social Welfare indicated that the living alone allowance could be increased in the bad times – at times when the pension itself could not be increased, but this has not happened.”

“Taking the various cuts as a whole, Older People will see a fall in their income of approximately €600 per year, or 5% for someone relying on their state pension.”

“Older people do not live in a vacuum and are well aware of the financial realities – however the various cuts remind us that this is a long way from the promises in the current social partnership agreement ‘Towards 2016’”, concluded Ms Hayes.

AS GHAEILGE

Cáinfhaisnéis 2010 & Seanóirí

“Is fáilte meascaithe atá tuillte ag an gCáinfhaisnéis seo, ‘fhad ‘is a mbaineann sé le sean daoine na hÉireann” arsa Máiréad Hayes príomhoifigeach feidhmiúcháin Parlaimint Shaoránaigh Sinsearacha na hÉireann inniu i ndiaidh na cáinfhaisnéise. “Cé nár chuireadh isteach ar an phinsean stáit, caithfimid a thógáil san áireamh gur gearradh 2% ó ioncam lucht an phinsin níos luaithe i mbliana nuair a cuireadh deireadh le ‘bónas na Nollag’ a dúirt Ms Hayes. “Dar leis an The European Pensions Barometer Report tá an dara pinsean is measa san Aontas Eorpach anseo in Éirinn – céim amaháin os chomhair an Ríocht Aontaithe.”

“On the last day before the budget, Older People asked of Brian …”

Budget minus 1 – Tuesday 8 December

“On the last day before the budget, Older People asked of Brian …”

€10 increase in pension

Dear Brian,

The vision in the current social partnership agreement “Towards 2016” is that “Every older person would have access to an income which is sufficient to sustain an acceptable standard of living.”

Over 50% of Older People in Ireland are dependent on the state pension as their main source of income. The European Pensions Barometer Report has highlighted that Ireland has the second worst state pension in the EU, coming only ahead of the UK. The report indicated that our pension equals 32.5% of the average working wage, while the average across Europe is 60%.

We recognise that times are hard and that the government faces difficult decisions ahead of the budget. But older people have worked hard all their lives and have paid taxes & are entitled to an adequate standard of living in their old age.

The McCarthy Report recommends that Social Welfare Rates should be decreased by 5%, due the reduction in the consumer price index. But the goods and services that have fallen are not the ones purchased by Older People – the cost of living for Older People has not been reduced.

We therefore call on the government to increase the pension by €10 per week. The withdrawal of the additional week’s payment in December has resulted in a 2% decrease in the average pension in 2009.

Yours sincerely

Ireland’s Older People

“On the second day before the budget, Older People asked of Brian …”

Budget minus 2 – Monday 7 December

“On the second day before the budget, Older People asked of Brian …”

Take care of our Carers

Dear Brian,

Many Older People are full-time care givers and their role needs to be recognised in Budget 2010.

It has been estimated by the Carers Association that family carers are saving the

Government €2.5billion per year by providing over 192million hours of caring work per year. Family carers should be given the recognition they deserve together with adequate supports to assist them in their care giving roles.

We consider the abolition of the half rate carer’s allowance to be a retrograde step. We welcomed and praised its introduction and now urge that it continue to be paid.

We seek the abolition of the Means Test for family carers. Failing that, we seek an increase in the amount of disregard for personal savings up to €40,000. Further, the level of the Respite Care Grant should be increased to at least €2,000 for each care recipient and the number of respite facilities/care facilities increased.

The Parliament was disappointed at the decision not to publish the Carer’s Strategy and would like to see this strategy published immediately.

Yours sincerely

Ireland’s Older People