News
Over 70 medical card crisis: Call to action
TO: Each Organisation affiliated to the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament
Dear Colleague,
This is a very difficult time for Older People in Ireland. Since Budget Day the issue of the withdrawal of the Medical Card for Older People has dominated the airwaves and, indeed, the Parliament has been inundated with ‘phone calls and emails from Older People and their families on the matter. We are actively campaigning to seek the withdrawal by Government of this draconian measure which will have such an adverse affect on the lives of Older People and their families.
Each and every one of your organisations can play a vital role in seeking to retain the Medical Card for Older People by lobbying all your local representatives especially those from the Government Parties i.e. Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats and the Independents who support the government. Make your opposition known to the opposition as well. Ask all of them to work to have the decision reversed by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Health and Children and the Government.
The Older People of Ireland did not create the situation whereby the delivery of Medical Card services for Older People costs four times more at €640.00 per person. Older People must be relieved of the fear and stress caused by this proposal. The facts and figures which have emerged are truly staggering. Older People for a long time have been classed as high rollers and people on vast incomes who were in possession of a Medical Card. We have seen that this has not been the case and that the majority of Older People are on very low incomes as shown by the fact that ⅔ of them already had a Medical Card before they reached age 70.
You, the members, are critical to the success of this campaign. You must go to your local representatives and ask them to have this measure withdrawn. This issue is so vital for Older People. We must not be seen as ‘easy targets’.
In the period since the over 70s Medical Card has been in place there was ample time to negotiate proper arrangements with regard to its delivery. It seems strange that rather than tackling that issue the Government is now tackling the recipients most of whom are ringing our offices in fear and dread.
Get out there! Get working! Get talking to your local politicians and demand that this be withdrawn.
Yours sincerely,
Máiréad Hayes
Chief Executive Officer
Observations on the Green Paper on Pensions by the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament
The Parliament through the work of its Pensions Committee, meetings with members and workshops at the Annual Parliament Meeting consulted widely and examined the proposals in the Green Paper in some depth.
Among our main recommendations are:
- A call for a new pension system that guarantees an income adequate to meet all the needs of pensioners
- A pension which would be an income replacement not a minimum anti-poverty measure.
- A pension system where mandatory contributions are made to a State run scheme which guarantees a pension of 50% of Gross Average Industrial Earnings on retirement.
- Reforms that would enable all Older People who need it to qualify for the State non-contributory pension.
- The Homemakers’ Scheme to be backdated to allow Older Women to receive a full pension in their own right.
- Women with inadequate contribution records to be provided with a pension in recognition of their contribution to the economy and society.
- A total contributions approach to qualifying for a pension where every contribution made can be used to fund pensions and should be redeemable regardless of when or how the contribution was made.
- Anomalies such as Class D and Qualified Adult Allowances, we suggest might be dealt with by agreements such as the SCOPE model agreed under the “Towards 2016” Social Partnership Agreement by the IFA, DSFA and Revenue.
- Pensions to be paid at 65 and the Transition pension to be abolished.
- That the Living Alone Allowance should be increased annually in line with inflation.
For full text click below
Budget 2009
PETER SANDS, TRUSTEE, MINISTER MARY HANAFIN, SYLVIA MEEHAN, PRESIDENT, MAIREAD HAYES, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Risk Equalisation judgement
Parliament Urges Minister to Act quickly and decisively on the judgement
The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament welcomes the statement by the Minister for Health and Children reconfirming that
The Government’s Objective in health insurance has been that it should be affordable to older and sicker people. Intergenerational solidarity in health insurance has always received widespread public and political support.
We urge the Minister, the government and the Health Insurance Authority to set in train a process which will enable speedy action to be taken to support community rating and provide for a system of community rating to protect the old and the vulnerable.
Whilst we note that the Minister does not “envisage any “immediate decision on legislation” we would urge her not to long finger a resolution to this matter. Older People are already experiencing stress and huge anxiety in relation to health matters.