News
Budget 2024 proves disrespect is rising quicker than our ageing population
Irish Senior Citizens Parliament members believe that this current Government no longer have respect for older people. Speaking at their Annual Parliament Meeting, members expressed disbelief at how detached and dispassionate current Ministers are.
“Believing that the €12 offered would allow people to meet their bills especially as we head into winter, is evidence of how out of touch this Government is.” says Imelda Browne President ISCP.
CEO Sue Shaw expressed the deep disappointment and anxiety felt by members. This will ensure that older people are pushed into poverty and left struggling to survive. Fear of not being able to meet their bills and heat their home is not good for the health and well-being of older people.
This was an opportunity for Government to keep the promise that was made to benchmark the pension to 34% of the average wage which would offer a strong sense of income security to older people. This could have been introduced this year with a commitment to implement the change over this and the next budget. That would have meant an increase of €26 this year, instead of the €12 which is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount needed to keep older people out of poverty and hardship.
Culture Night 2023 – the perfect opportunity to reengage with your community
Culture Night first began back in 2006, largely contained within Temple Bar in Dublin City Centre. This year, Culture Night celebrates its 18th birthday as an all-island celebration of Irish culture. Thousands of free events are taking place tomorrow night, Friday 22nd September, all over the country.
Culture night brings people of ages together, bridging the gap between generations while creating a sense of belonging and community. It is a wonderful night to experience something new or to reengage with your local community, especially if you have been feeling reluctant to participate since the pandemic. Many older individuals feel detached from our rapidly changing society and we have noticed that the ‘Covid hangover’ still looms and is discouraging our members from attending social gatherings. Culture Night can help foster a sense of pride and belonging as the nation celebrates Irish customs and traditions.
Culture night offers a diverse range of activities that cater to different interests and prides itself on being a free, accessible and age-friendly night of festivities. The night often includes workshops, demonstrations, and talks where people can learn new skills or deepen their knowledge about various cultural aspects. Such performances and explorations are taking place in art centres, community centres, libraries, cafes and multiple public spaces showcasing art, music, spoken word, comedy, film, theatre and the list goes on…
Access to cultural activities in local communities and villages is a key part of this year’s programme and you can find out what’s on in your local area by clicking HERE.
Some events may require booking so make sure there are tickets available before you make the trip to the local community centre. And most importantly, everyone at the ISCP wishes you a truly magical night!
Cost-of-Living continues to Divide
The cost-of-living crisis in Ireland has become a grievous financial burden for most, but especially for those who depend on fixed incomes including state pensioners. Many individuals and families are continuing to struggle to meet their basic needs.
As we are aware, the VAT rate increased from 9% to 13.5% on the 1st of September with our members already feeling the pinch in their pockets. The increase in VAT has affected supplies of certain food and beverages in restaurants, take-aways and catering, hairdressing and beautician services, admissions to cinemas and museums, as well as holiday accommodation. Ireland now has the third-highest hospitality VAT rate in Europe.
As well as the increase in VAT we were also faced with the double whammy of an increase in fuel prices. Petrol excise rates rose by 7 cents per litre and diesel prices increased by 5 cents per litre. This was the second of three planned tax increases on motor fuel, the next increase coming into effect on October 31st.
Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson, Pierce Doherty, recently appeared on RTE Radio 1 and responded to Pinergy Company’s promise of cutting energy prices from October. Pierce claimed that “wholesale electricity prices in Ireland have fallen by 64% in the last 12 months” yet Irish energy companies choose to continue to charge peak prices. He has called for an investigation by the energy regulator and advocated for the application of windfall taxes and levies on such companies which would follow in the footsteps of other European countries.
The overall inflation rate in Ireland has led to a general increase across the board, while social welfare rates remain exceptionally low and highly inadequate. Higher costs for housing, healthcare, and utilities have strained financial resources placing older people, and low to middle income families in financial insecurity or at risk of poverty. This situation has forced people to make difficult choices, such as cutting back on necessary expenses and sacrificing their quality of life.
It is difficult not to reflect on the Paper entitled “Survival of the Richest” published by Oxfam in January of this year. The paper found that the richest 1% have nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world put together.
Oxfam has called on governments globally to:
- Introduce one-off solidarity wealth taxes and windfall taxes to end crisis profiteering.
- Permanently increase taxes on the richest 1 percent, for example to at least 60 percent of their income from labour and capital, with higher rates for multi-millionaires and billionaires. Governments must especially raise taxes on capital gains, which are subject to lower tax rates than other forms of income.
- Tax the wealth of the richest 1 percent at rates high enough to significantly reduce the numbers and wealth of the richest people, and redistribute these resources. This includes implementing inheritance, property and land taxes, as well as net wealth taxes.
We continue to advocate for all older persons in Ireland and hope that Budget 2024 will bring significant change in reducing the financial burden for all.
Is it Careless to go Cashless?
The idealistic move towards a cashless society has raised its head once again today as the NCT (National Car Testing Service) has announced that they are going cashless.
In a post on social media, the NCT said:
“We’re saying goodbye to cash! NCTs are going cashless over the coming months for your safety and convenience, this means that payment must be made in advance of attending for your NCT. When introduced, payment can be made online or by postal order.”
Although we can appreciate the progression and major contributions of the digital age, it is imperative that those without digital access do not get left behind. This not only includes older persons, but also some persons with a disability or people on lower incomes. Therefore, once an organisation decides to go cashless, they immediately exclude those mentioned.
We know from research conducted by Age Action in 2022, that almost 300,000 people aged 60 or older were not using the internet. According to the CSO, 45% of persons aged 75 and over, have never used the internet. So, what does it mean for these people, when a company goes cashless?
Financial Exclusion: Going cashless limits access to essential goods and services such as the NCT, a mandatory requirement for all car owners. The decision also assumes that all customers are enrolled in a bank or financial institution and those without a bank account are immediately blocked from being able to pay.
Financial Security and Fraud: With the rise in number of scams online, through texts and phone calls, it is no wonder that anyone could be discouraged from entering personal information such as payment details online or over the phone. This can make one feel vulnerable and less trusting but can also leave someone open to risk of fraud or financial abuse.
Lack of Independence: As mentioned, the feeling of vulnerability extends into one’s ability and knowledge in navigating technological devices such as smart phones or computers. An older person may have to rely on someone else to carry out online payments for example. Having to share very personal financial information can feel like an invasion of privacy and once again, can leave such as person open to financial abuse.
Technological Barriers: Quite simply, not everyone has access to a phone, tablet or a computer for a number of reasons such as cost, quality or location. There are certainly numerous parts of the country that still do not have sufficient internet access which impedes a person’s ability to engage online.
Social Exclusion: Nowadays, digital exclusion can mirror certain aspects of social exclusion. A person may not be able to interact with group activities or outings if they are only advertised online or require digital payments. This completely isolates a person and can prevent them from participating fully in their community.
As you can see, the NCT’s decision to go cashless will have a profound impact on any vehicle owner who does not have digital knowledge or internet access. But what about the postal order?
The offer of payment by postal order again causes problems for the same cohorts of people. This would require accessible, in-person customer service at a bank or post-office that is in within a reasonable distance. Not to mention the fee that goes along with a postal order as well as the cost of petrol or diesel to get you there. The knock-on effect of this decision will surely affect multiple households and we support the call on Government to help in reversing this decision.