News
New Participation Charter Launched to Empower Older Voices in Public Policy and Public Life
The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and Age Action have officially published a groundbreaking Participation Charter, setting out ten practical principles to ensure that older people have a meaningful, active voice in the decisions that shape their lives and communities.
Supported by Community Foundation Ireland and as part of the Strengthening the Voice of Older People in Ireland project, the Charter is the result of extensive research and a major National Consultation that gathered insights from 764 individuals aged 60 and over.
The nationwide consultation sets out 10 Principles for Meaningful Participation
Core Principles of the Participation Charter
01 - Participation Should Be Meaningful
02 - Participation should be inclusive and accessible
03 - Participation should begin early
04 - Lived experience should be valued as evidence
05 - Participation should influence decisions
06 - Participation should lead to feedback and visible outcomes
07 - Participation should strengthen collaboration and collective voice
08 - Representation should be transparent and accountable
09 - Participation should be sustained
10 - Participation should promote civic engagement, rights and dignity
Older people want to know that their contribution matters and that their voices lead to visible outcomes. We invite and encourage decision-makers, public bodies and organisations across Ireland to use these ten principles in their everyday practice
Pat Mellon - Irish Senior Citizens Parliament CEO
It should be of note that while this Charter was developed for the Participation of the aged sector the principles apply to all sectors suffering from lack of a voice.
The Participation Charter is now available for public bodies, community groups, and policymakers to adopt, marking a significant step forward in recognising older people as active partners in shaping Ireland's future.
Media Contact: Irish Senior Citizens Parliament CEO Pat Mellon pat@seniors.ie or 087 4303342
Shingles Vaccine
Reminder, deadline 31st July
Our fellow Alliance of Age Sector NGOs member, Active Retirement Ireland have a petition calling on Government to provide funding for Shingles Vaccine for adults aged 65 and over. Please support.
👉 Sign our petition today – it closes at 5pm on Friday 31 July!
Please click on this link: Protect Older Adults: Make the Shingles Vaccine Free for 65+
We’ve already reached an incredible 26,000+ signatures – now let’s make one final push to 30,000 before the petition closes.
Every signature will strengthen our message when we present the petition to government ahead of Budget 2027.
Our campaign is calling for fair, state-supported access to the shingles vaccine for adults aged 65+, so that older people are not prevented from accessing this important vaccine because of cost.
Please help us get over the line by:
✅ Signing the petition if you haven’t already
✅ Sharing it on your Facebook page
✅ Posting it in your WhatsApp groups
✅ Asking your family, friends and neighbours to sign
Together, we’ve built an incredible campaign. Let’s finish strong and show government just how much support there is for this issue.
Thank you for your continued support. Every signature counts.
Annual Parliament Meeting 2026
Our Annual Parliament Meeting was held on the 13th May 2026. It brought together 70 delegates representing affiliated organisations from across the country. The Annual gathering serves as a crucial platform to review progress, set advocacy priorities, and explore the latest research in positive ageing.
The meeting opened with a review of the organisation’s 2025 Annual Report (available to read in full online) which outlines the Parliament’s continued advocacy work in key areas such as pensions, healthcare, housing, and transport.
A major highlight of this year’s meeting was an engaging session with our guest speaker, Dr Ann Monaghan, Project Manager at TILDA (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing) based at Trinity College Dublin.
Dr Monaghan shared crucial insights from TILDA’s extensive research on how to maintain a high quality of life as we grow older. Her presentation focused on actionable strategies for ’ageing well’ emphasising:
- Biological vs. Chronological Age -Understanding how lifestyle choices and physical safety impact how our bodies age, rather than just the number on a calendar.
- The Power of Connection: The profound impact that active social engagement, community involvement, and lifelong learning have on long-term cognitive and emotional well-being.
- Physical Resilience: Practical, evidence-based approaches to physical activity, exercise, and proactive falls prevention to maintain independent living.
“Active participation in community and educational activities doesn’t just pass the time – the data shows it fundamentally enhances health outcomes and quality of life.”
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, allowing delegates to bridge the gap between world-class academic research and the real, everyday experiences of older people across Ireland.
The afternoon session saw delegates take to the floor to debate and vote on 15 motions for the coming year. Motions ranged from the need for an Independent Commissioner for Older People to Pension Equality, to the Shingles Vaccine.
These motions form the bedrock of our mandate and work for the coming year.
To progress motions, the ISCP Team together with our Executive committee lobby the government through submissions to the Departments of Finance, Social Protection, Health and Transport.
We also engage with government through our participation in Alliance of Age Sector NGOs and Community & Voluntary Platform in Bilateral meetings with the Departments. This work ensures that the organisation continues to directly and democratically represent the needs of its 250,000 collective members through this lobbying of national policymakers and government bodies.
With a clear strategy forged from debated motions, and fresh insights from the TILDA report, the ISCP enters the coming year stronger and more focused than ever.