News

Are older people getting a fair deal?

By Grace | 28th August 2008

30th January 2008 from 1pm -1.45pm in Buswell’s Hotel

The Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament invites you to join us for a Press Briefing on the issues which are important to Older People.

The time has come to let you know where we stand in relation to

A FAIR DEAL: THE NURSING HOME SUPPORT SCHEME, 2008.

The Fair Deal legislation is due to be put before the Dáil without adequate consultation with Older People.

As the Houses of the Oireachtas resume after the Christmas break it is timely that we take stock and look to the year ahead and what it holds for older people.

This is a time of reflection as Older People look to see how the December Budget impacts on their lives and what is in store for them in 2008.

We are two years in the Social Partnership Agreement Towards 2016 which as part of The Lifecycle Framework articulated in the VisionStatement for Older People that they be able to –

  • “participate to the greatest extent possible in social and civic life”
  • “have access to an income which is sufficient to sustain an acceptable standard of living “
  • Have adequate support to enable them to remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible
  • Have access to good quality services in the community including health education transport housing and security
  • Have access to a spectrum of care services stretching from support to for self care through support for family and informal carers to formal care in the home, the community or in residential settings
  • Mindful  ” such care services should ensure the person has opportunities for civic and social engagement at community level”

Please come to our press briefing in Buswell’s Hotel, at 1pm on January 30th to hear older people speak for themselves on these and other issues.

An Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament briefing paper on the fair deal will be circulated at the meeting.

Please contact Mairead Hayes, CEO on (01) 8561243  for press interviews.

Annual Parliament Meeting 2007

By Grace | 8th August 2008

Crowd of seniors attending the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament event in Ireland. The Annual meeting of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament was held on the 13th & 14th April 2007 .  Three hundred delegates representing the Parliaments 90,000 members gathered to review the Annual Report of the years work on behalf of the Parliament and to develop new policies for the future.

The year had been marked by the participation of the Parliament in Social Partnership. For the first time Older Peoples representatives were admitted to membership of the Community and Voluntary Pillar and played an active part in negotiating the new programme ‘Towards 2016’ which contained a section dealing with Older Peoples issues including a commitment in the agreement to publish a ‘Green Paper’ on Pension Policy which is long overdue given the relatively poor position of pensioners in Ireland against their counterparts in other European Union.

On Friday night delegates attended a dinner and a social event with a live band.

Presidential Address

Peter Sands

President Peter Sands covered many topics in his address including the following:

Northern Ireland: He welcomed recent events in the peace process and expressed the wish that the ties between the Parliament and Older People’s groups in Northern Ireland would be strengthened. He placed on record his thanks to the Vice-President Paddy Donegan and the staff of the Parliament for all their work.

Our membership continues to grow and we now have 380 affiliated groups and 100,000 members. Income and health care continue to be core issues dealt with by the Parliament.  From September 07 women who worked in the home will be paid their entitlements directly.

Social Partnership Agreement: He commended two sections in “Towards 2016” to delegates Section 32 on Older People as part of the Lifecycle Framework and Section 8.8 on the Green Paper on National Pensions Policy which will be published soon. The Parliament will be involved in the widespread consultation on the Paper and Michael O’Halloran CEO as a member of the Pensions Board will be a strong voice for our cause.

He welcomed the establishment of the Task Force on Active Citizenship of which our Hon. Secretary, Sylvia Meehan is a member.

Atlantic Philanthropies: An agreement covering a period of four years was signed in March with Atlantic Philanthropies. It covers an agreed work programme and a grant of €811,000. Through their Ageing programmes, Atlantic seeks to transform how ageing and older people are viewed by society and to bring about lasting improvements in the lives of older adults. The agreement provides for additional staff and resources to strengthen the Parliament at National, Local and Divisional level. It is a challenge as well as an opportunity.

In conclusion he said, never before was a “Strong Voice” for Older People more needed.

The Officers and Executive Committee elected to serve for the coming year are as follows:

President:               Sylvia Meehan

Vice-President:      Paddy Donegan

Hon-Secretary:       Breda O’Malley

Treasurer:               Nell Foley

Trustees:                Charlie Hammond, Peter Sands

Executive Committee Members:

Peter Campbell, Jim Cousins, Liam Cradden, Breda Dunlea, Eddie Fitzgerald, Nell FitzPatrick, Anthony Gilligan, Barney Hartnett,Ignatius Martin, Evelyn Moran, Patrick Morgan, Anna O’Farrell, Ena O’Mahoney, Patrick Philpott, Sally Quinn

Sean Power T.D. Minister for Services for Older People at the Department of Health and Children spoke on the matters outlined below.

  • Ageing Population: By 2036, the population is expected to reach 1.1 million people aged over 65. It will have wide ranging implications for pensions, health and long-term care. It is important that continuous liaison between Government and Older People’s groups organisations take place to ensure that the needs of older people are addressed.
  • Government Policy: Continues to be that older people receive the attention or care they require in their own homes and communities for as long as is possible. In 2006 the cost for services for older people was 150m. For 2007 the cost is estimated at €255m.
  • Community Based Supports: 2,000 extra home care packages will be provided in 2007. There will be 780,000 extra hours of home help and 1,100 extra day care places.
  • Carers: He praised the importance of family carers in allowing older people to remain at home longer than would otherwise be possible. He referred to the increase in benefits for Carer’s in the last budget in line with Towards 2016 and the Programme for Government so that all those on average industrial incomes qualify. Effective June the Respite Care Grant is €1500.
  • Long-Term Care: Draft national standards for all residential care settings for older people were published on the 25th January and the interim Health Information and Quality Authority have established a working group to oversee public consultation on the standards and to finalise them.
  • A Fair Deal: It is planned to introduce a new nursing home care support scheme – A Fair Deal – at the start of January next year. It will  provide uniform financial support for   individuals in private and public nursing home beds. The Fair Deal will ensure that the State continues to fund the largest part of care costs overall. Contributions during a person’s life will be less than their disposable income and they will not have to sell or mortgage their house to meet the contribution. A person’s family will not have to contribute towards the cost of their care.For 2007 a new subvention scheme has been introduced. The maximum rate of a basic subvention has now been raised to €300 and €85 million allocate to it as a down-payment to ease current inequities.
  • Attitudes to Old Age: Referring to the need for a more positive attitude to ageing amongst older people themselves and the population in general he praised the valuable contribution of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament over the years, in promoting the interests of older people.

WORKSHOPS ON “A FAIR DEAL”

Three Workshops were held on the “Fair Deal” proposal which will help to inform the Parliament examination of the matter. The facilitators from the Department of Health and Children, Services for Older People were Dr Fergal Lynch, Geraldine Fitzpatrick and Laura McGarrigle. Chairpersons were John Brady formerly of the Department of Health and Children, Bob Carroll, Director National Council on Ageing and Older People and Maurice O’Connell, Alzheimer’s Society.

JEAN MANAHAN, Programme Executive, Ageing (ROI), Atlantic Philanthropies

Jean Manahan

Speaking she said it was  a real privilege to be to hear some of the motions being put before the annual Parliament meeting which touch on so many of the important issues which face all of us as we get older. The CEO had told her that to understand the Parliament she should see it in action and this was absolutely right. The great work goes on throughout the year, all around the country locally in your divisions as well as nationally. Her hope for the future is that your work will be enhanced by Atlantic’s grant and that local, regional and national networks and representation will be strengthened.  The aim ultimately is to strengthen the voice of older people so that the so called ‘grey vote’ will be heard clearly, powerfully and unambiguously. You are not lobbying for are ‘handouts’ but basic rights based on respect and dignity for all citizens. If we do not treat all of our people well then the whole body politic suffers. As Dame Cicely Saunders famously said: ‘You matter because you are you and you matter all the days of your life.’  She expressed special appreciation to Michael O’Halloran for all his work in bringing our joint initiative to fruition. It has been like a dance, sometimes a very slow waltz, but hopefully now the tempo can speed up to a quick step.

MOTIONS

The following is a summary of the outcome of the motions by subject matter.

CONSTITUTION of ISCP

Motion 1 Tenure of Office of the ISCP Board was passed

SOCIAL WELFARE

FUEL ALLOWANCE

Motion 2 calling for the abolition of the mean test for the age allowance was passed

AGE ALLOWANCE

Motion 3 calling for the extension of the allowance to the Qualified Adult was passed

LIVING ALONE ALLOWANCE

Motions 4 & 5 seeking both an increase and the extension of the living alone allowance to those in receipt of pensions from other EU states was passed

DIET ALLOWANCE

Motion 6 seeking an increase was passed

PENSIONS

Motion 7 seeking to have the Qualified Adult payment at the same level as the main recipient waspassed.

Motion 8 seeking to retain payment of State pension at 65/66 and the provision of incentives/options to those who deferred to a later stage was passed

Motion 9 seeking the facility for people who are short PRSI contributions to buy them back was passed

Motion 10 calling for the payment of a Survivor’s Pension even where the person was already in receipt of a Social Welfare pension was passed

Motion 11 calling for State Pensions to be set at 50% of Average Industrial Earning was passed

Motion 12 agreeing with Motion 11 also called for a rate of €300 in Budget 2008 and for the introduction of a mandatory second tier pension scheme was passed

TRAVEL/TRANSPORT

Motion 13 calling for the facility to use the Travel Pass in EU States was passed

Motion 14 calling for the use of travel vouchers in rural areas was passed

Motion 15 seeking the facility for Travel Pass holders to book a seat on intercity trains was passed

Motion 16 seeking the facility for Travel Pass holders to get a return Rail ticket was passed

MINISTER FOR OLDER PEOPLE & A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Motion 17, 18, 19 all calling for the establishment of a Minister for older people and a National Strategy were passed

Motion 20 calling for the establishment of a National Partnership Forum for Older People under Social Partnership was passed

DISABILITY

Motion 21& 22 calling for the equipping of all Post Offices with Audio Induction Loops by December 2008 in accordance with the Disability Act 2005 and also that all Dublin Airport Check in areas be similarly equipped prior to the holding of the AGM of the EU Federation of Hard of Hearing people in March 08 was passed.

EQUALITY

Motion 23 demanding in this year of Equal Opportunities and end to all discrimination against Older People was passed.

POST OFFICE CLOSURES

Motion 24 which condemned the closure of rural post offices was passed

HEALTH

Motion 25 calling for integrated Day Care Medical Services for all was passed

Motion 26 seeking increased resources for A & E Departments was passed

Motion 27 calling for the introduction to all citizens of a ‘Social Health Insurance’ scheme to ensure fair access to the Health Services by all on the basis of need was passed

Motion 28 calling for an end to the provision of Private Beds in Public Hospitals was passed

Motion 29 seeking the provision of Breast and Prostate screening regardless of age was passed

CHIROPODY

Motion 30 withdrawn in favour of M31

Motion 31 calling for a National Service for all medical card holders was passed

CARE

Motion 32, 33 and 34 were referred to the incoming Executive Committee to be included in their response to “A Fair Deal”.

Motion 35 calling for adequate care Standards in both Home and Nursing homes was passed

Motion 36 calling for the provision of proper Home Care Packages was passed

ENERGY CONSERVATION

Motion 37  calling for removal of VAT on the installation and cost of the newer energy-saving heating systems was passed

LAW REFORM

Motion 38 calling for a tougher line in respect of anti-social behaviour was passed

INTEREST RATES

Motion 39 that ECB rates of interest be the minimum paid on savings was passed

PRICE INDEXING

Motion 40 was referred to the incoming Executive Committee

SECURITY

Motion 41 calling for the provision of sufficient Wardens in Senior Citizens Housing complexes was passed

HOTEL SUPPLEMENTS

Motion 42 calling for an end to the single supplement charges by hotels was passed

left to right: Paddy Donegan, 1st President of ISCP, Sylvia Meehan, President-elect, Peter Sands, outgoing President

Vote of Thanks to outgoing President Peter B Sands was proposed by Paddy Donegan who thanked Peter Sands for his outstanding term as President of the Parliament and wished him well in his new role as a Trustee.

He referred to Peter’s ability to source any document from his fantastic filing system. At meetings he could take his cue from Peter and if Peter didn’t query the minutes then they were definitely OK. Peter was one of the founding members of the Parliament and he was a dedicated worker on behalf of the Parliament during all that time. The last year had been an onerous one, with Social Partnership talks and the protracted discussions with Atlantic Philanthropies. Peter had represented the Parliament very well in all those discussions.

Peter never lost an opportunity to raise the issues of concern to Older People and their families in whatever forum he was in. The delegates would have seen some evidence of that today in his vote of thanks to Minister Power where he raised with him issues in the Health Service in respect of staffing levels, care packages and chiropody services.

Peter Sands is a decent man and he wished Peter good health and looked forward to continuing to work with him.

The meeting then concluded.

Historic event

By Grace | 8th August 2008

In July this year Peter B Sands, Trustee of the ISCP was appointed Senator for A period of one month. Following which the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament held their monthly Executive Committee meeting in Leinster House.

 

Transport

By Grace | 8th August 2008

Campaign by Irish Senior Citizens Parliament for the Introduction of a Voucher System to improve Access for Older People living in Rural Areas to Transport.

One of the phenomena of the last 50 years has been the great improvement in transport both in terms of its availability and the extent to which it is used. The vast majority of our population now make greater use of transport facilities to travel both inside and outside the island by road, rail, sea and air. For a large proportion of the population this has led to increasing mobility and increased access to normal everyday facilities as well as the opportunity to visit friends and families at regular intervals.

A major factor in this access to travel facilities particularly for older people was the introduction in 1967 of the Free Travel Pass for Older People. This innovative measure gave older people the opportunity to independently access travel for social and personal reasons. The ability to travel both in cities and across the country was warmly welcomed by older people and their organisations

At that time the cost of travel, as a proportion of income was much higher than it is today. Indeed the cost of rail travel as a proportion of the average weekly wage was beyond the reach of a lot of Old Age Pensioners. In a more de-regulated environment this has now been reduced especially where bus travel is concerned. Further the move to the larger centres of population was not as marked as it later became. In most rural areas the fabric of the life continued as was with the same families living in communities, as had their forebears.

The good neighbour was the salvation for many older people living in rural isolated areas. They were relied on to give them a lift to Mass and perhaps to the local town for shopping. The increasing change in demographics in rural areas, which saw the move to the country of families who were working in nearby towns, changed the position for a lot of older people. However this dependency on the “Good Neighbour “meant that the Older person was not independent and had no way of travelling to the local town or village to access Free travel independently. Increasing they saw the benefits which people living in towns and villages with the ability to undertake journeys at times that suited their needs were deriving from the Free Travel Scheme.

Since its inception the Parliament has recognised that travel was available to older people however it equally recognised that such access was not equally available to ALL older people. Those living in rural isolated areas continued to lack the facility to get to the nearest point at which they might access the Public Transport system and so avail of their free travel. For this reason the Parliament has continued to lobby for a system where a number of vouchers would be issued to older people to enable them to access taxis and hackneys which would bring them to the nearest point of access to the Free Travel system. For a number of older people this matter is Urgent, as they cannot wait for realisation of some of the initiatives, which are currently under way. It is a fact of life that they just may not be here to avail of the improved services when it is in place.

The Parliament since its foundation has been campaigning for the introduction of a voucher system where a number of vouchers would be issued to older people to enable them to access taxis or hackneys to take them to the nearest town or village to do shopping or other personal business and also to allow them access a public transport route.

Several studies have served to support and highlight the isolation experienced in rural areas by a number of groups among them the elderly and women. Indeed (Treacy Hogan Irish Independent) reporting on a confidential government report which stated that the group said “A radical new public transport system including door to door services, is needed to solve the rural public transport crisis”. The group recommended that a “safety net” be set up to urgently meet the needs of the elderly, the young, the disabled and those on low incomes.

Indeed at the launch of the Rural Transport Initiative (RTI) by Minister O’Rourke in July 2001 the RTI was heralded as an initiative to help meet what was seen as a huge deficit on in the area of rural transport. The RTI emerged following a survey which found huge non usage of travel passes and isolation among rural dwellers because of the lack of transport. The Parliament acknowledges that some progress has been made in this regard by the initiative. Where services are up and running however limited there are facilities for older people to spend a little time in their local town or village. However in some cases this service is not adequate to allow older people to do more than the basics shopping and pension collection. Very few schemes allow for any service in the evening and at night older people need to be involved in the cultural and social interaction within their communities. For that reason the Parliament is again calling for the introduction of a voucher system to allow older people to travel.

We again call on the relevant minister to introduce a voucher system immediately. In support of our claim we refer to the following statistics from the Report of the Rural Transport Initiative itself referring to those people who use their schemes

  • 79% of the passengers hold the Free Travel Pass
  • Approximately 70 % of passengers are female.

Further they state

  • Feedback from survey results to date suggest that social interaction and shopping or accessing basic essential services are the primary reasons for using the services.

This position was further reinforced by Minster Ivor Callely in a speech on 3rd November when he said

Research has shown that those most marginalized by lack of access to transport in rural areas are women, the elderly, the mobility impaired, and people on low income and young people.

Again Minister Seamus Brennan launching a transport service for people living in remote areas on Leitrim, Cavan Sligo stated.

As you know the rural transport problem is caused by a number of factors of which the main ones are probably low rural population densities etc. We have become very dependent on cars in rural Ireland.

Further he said

Research has shown that those most marginalized by lack of access to transport in rural areas are women, the elderly, the mobility impaired, people on low income and young people.

He added

Research has shown that the provision of accessible affordable and acceptable local transport can be a very important improvement in the quality of life for these people.
Comhar Chumann Shailearna by Ann Irwin (Seirbhísí i bhForbairt Pobail) 2002

This report identified inaccessibility of the Public transport system as a major disadvantage for people living in the comhar chumann area and stated “for a substantial number of older people free travel is an irrelevancy.” (Page 36) The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament asserts that an urgent need exists for the immediate implementation of a Voucher Scheme for Older People living in rural areas and calls on the government and the relevant Ministers to immediately implement such a system. It further states that such a system would help to improve the quality of the lives of so many older rural dwellers in the twilight of their years.