Posted by The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament
Extracts taken from submission:
2 | P a g e
The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament is a representative organisation of Older People in
Ireland. The Parliament is a non-partisan political organisation working to promote the views
of older people in policy development and decision-making. The Parliament is run by older
volunteers who are elected annually at the Annual Parliament Meeting by delegates from
affiliated organisations. The ISCP currently has 116 affiliated organisations and individuals
including retired sections within ESB, RTE, HSE, SIPTU, CIE, FSU, ICTU, FORSA, Guinness and
many others. This membership base means the ISCP has a genuine mandate to be the Voice
of Older People in Ireland.
In addition to public consultation with both members and non-members, we conducted a
pre-budget survey to capture an in-depth view of the realities of older people in Ireland. The
results of this survey were used to inform this submission and organise our key asks of
Government for 2025. The survey was completed by 554 older persons and members
currently living in Ireland.
Most older persons have no capacity to raise their incomes, often experiencing declining
income and loss of spending power impacted by sharp cost-of-living increases. Social Justice
Ireland (SJI) noted that retired persons in Ireland have experienced the greatest volatility in
their risk of poverty rates. While the rate has thankfully declined in recent years, it still
leaves 1 in 10 older adults at risk of poverty.1 This could be your parent(s), aunt, uncle,
grandparent, neighbour or friend. This is someone you know.
After a lifetime of contributing to society, it is only fair for the government to protect those
who have no other way of coping with soaring living costs. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion
defines social inclusion as ‘having access to sufficient income, resources and services to
enable [people] to play an active part in their communities and participate in activities that
are considered the norm for people in society generally’.2 This is a clear recognition that
avoiding poverty and enhancing social inclusion requires adequate income.
We are proud members of the Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, a collective which includes
ALONE, Alzheimer’s Association of Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, Age and Opportunity,
Active Retirement Ireland and Third Age. We have long been advocating for the
Establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People similar to that
which is in place in both Northern Ireland and Wales. This would help to ensure that
Ireland’s various policy commitments relevant to older people are meaningfully monitored
and that older people are treated with respect and on an equal basis with the rest of the
population.3 We also continue to support and work with Brid Smith TD, to progress the
Industrial Relations Bill 2021 to give voice to retired workers concerning their pension.
Go to submission for more specific detail:-
Summary
A summary of ISCP’s recommendations in the Submission to the Department of Social
protection is as follows:
- An Adequate and Sustainable Pension: Implement the Government’s commitment
in the Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018- 2023 for a State Pension set at 34% of
average weekly earnings with annual review to ensure its continued adequacy. Until
its implementation, increase the pension rate by a minimum of €25. Failing the
above, plan to implement an egalitarian Universal Pension System. - Increase the Living Alone Allowance: An increase of at least €25 for persons living
alone while simplifying the process of applying for the Living Alone Allowance to
enable accessibility for older people - Eligibility Criteria and Means-Testing: Increase income thresholds and cut-off points
in line with social welfare increases to prevent further people from being stripped of
their entitlements. Widen the eligibility criteria to include the large numbers of older persons who do not qualify for the state pension and additional cost-of-living supports - Energy and Cost-of-Living Supports: Increase the rates for Fuel Allowance and
Household Benefits Package by a minimum of €15 per week. Widen the eligibility
criteria for such benefits and allowances. Re-instate the duration of the Fuel
Allowance to 32 weeks from its current level of 28 weeks. Provide other qualifying
options for this scheme for low/middle income households and those who are just
outside of the income limit - Free Travel Scheme and pre-booking seats: Impose legislation on private bus
companies prohibiting any booking fee for those entitled to the free travel scheme.
Otherwise, the state should cover the costs of pre-booking seats for Free Travel
cardholders when using public transport. Oversee the application of the scheme to
prevent discrimination and ageism - Telephone Support Allowance: Increase the Telephone Support Allowance by at least
€10 per week to enable older persons to remain socially included and to prevent
isolation and loneliness - Simplify Access to Entitlements: Facilitate access to information and application
procedures while also considering people who do not have access to online facilities
Budget 2025 will be the last opportunity for this Government, and this Oireachtas, to set a
course in securing a dignified, worthwhile retirement for our older population which would
inspire and incentivise future generations to come. Unless we change the manner in which
we treat older people, we may create the future that we fear for our older selves. - “Caring for our seniors is perhaps the greatest responsibility we have.
Those who walked before us have given so much and made possible
the life we all enjoy.” – John Hoeven
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Extracts of submission for Budget 2025 from The Wheel
The Wheel
The Future is Community: Budget 2025
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Budget 2025 is an opportunity for government to deliver a budget that builds social cohesion; a budget that recognises the need to actively develop our society alongside our economy.
It is time to acknowledge the importance of Ireland’s charities, community groups, and social enterprises as providers of vital public services and opportunities that enrich our lives. Together with our members, we’re calling for a budget that empowers community action and resources essential services.
Read Our Pre-Budget Submission
Budget measures to support civil society
Find more information on all of the points below in our full pre-budget submission, The Future is Community.
What our members say
“To meet Ireland’s growing mental health needs, we should invest in the voluntary and community mental health sector with sustainable, multi-annual funding. This sector faces stagnant or reduced funding despite rising demand. Adequate investment is crucial for effective service delivery and staff retention. Embracing new technologies and innovative methods can further enhance support.”
Fiona Coyle, Mental Health Reform
“Given that Ireland has one of the highest levels of loneliness in Europe, it is vital that an Action Plan to Combat Loneliness is funded in Budget 2025.”
The Loneliness Taskforce
“Our vision is to work towards an inclusive society that supports the integration and well-being of all, through the strengthening of the availability and functioning of health and addiction services.”
Eddie Mullins, Merchant’s Quay Ireland
“Social dialogue allows us to identify challenges at the earliest stages, facilitates communities to come to terms with those challenges and to build consensus about how best to manage change in a way that allows people to have a say in the policies affect them.”
John McGeady, Social Justice Ireland
“We believe poverty is not inevitable and with the right policies we can end it. Adequate income support, pathways to good quality jobs and quality public services are all needed to lift people out of poverty for good.”
Tricia Keilthy, SVP: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Ireland
“Community supports including disability-specific services, the majority provided by the voluntary sector, are essential to realise the right of disabled people to independent living and to realise the UN CRPD. This includes Personal Assistance, home supports, alternative forms of respite, personalised budgets etc. These critical supports continue to be underfunded and overstretched.”
Emer Begley, Disability Federation of Ireland
“A secure, comfortable, and affordable home is the foundation for any community and country. A home forms the basis for a good life and our well-being through a sense of security and privacy. We strongly believe in the provision of high-quality affordable homes through the delivery of social housing. This is only possible through strong partnership and support from the Government.”
Haley Curran, Cooperative Housing Ireland
“Children and Young People are the future of this country and they deserve the best services to ensure they can meet their full potential and engage fully in society. We work with many families who are struggling and we know that with the right level of support in properly funded, accessible services, they are able to achieve their goals. Investment in children, young people, and families will help to build a more equal and humane society for all.”
Siobhán O’Dwyer, Youth Advocate Programmes Ireland
“Communities possess unparalleled expertise and advocacy for their local areas. With robust government support, they have the potential to significantly accelerate the achievement of the SDGs by 2030. Indeed the global momentum behind ‘SDG localisation’ demonstrates the transformative power of community-driven initiatives. We urge the government to prioritise and empower communities, both present and future, in this budget to maximize their impact.”
Dearbhail Lawless, Coalition 2030
No Name Club promotes and encourages young people to make informed health behaviour choices while enjoying positive social interaction in an inclusive and fun setting. The importance of resourcing, sustaining, and indeed futureproofing the development of such opportunities for children and youth participation, with all the personal and social benefits for communities and society, cannot be overstated.
John Williams, The No Name Club
Add your voice to this campaign? Email emily@wheel.ie and tell us how the recommendations in our pre-budget submission would support your organisation’s work.
We’re calling for Budget 2024 to empower charities, community organisations, and social enterprises. Now is the time to act on urgent issues facing the sector, and to create the conditions for a just and fair society to flourish.
Join us
Get the support and representation
you deserve from Ireland’s biggest
community of charities, community
groups and social enterprises.
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SVP’s Proposal for Budget 2025
Extracts from detailed submission.
Summary of Key Recommendations for
Budget 2025
Income and employment
- Increase core social welfare rates by €20.
- Raise payments to the poorest children by €6 (under 12) and €15 (over 12).
- Address in-work poverty by increasing earning disregards for lone parents to €205.
- Make childcare affordable by increasing the lowest subsidy and threshold for the NCS
Housing and homelessness
- Build 20,000 social homes and bring 1,000 vacant council homes back into use.
- Provide every child in homelessness access to a support worker.
- Increase funding to address the housing needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
Education including early years
- Provide an additional €10 million for the new Equal Start model in early years.
- Extend free books to senior cycle and increase the capitation grant by 30%.
- Increase the SUSI grant and thresholds by 15%.
- Expand the Cost of Education Allowance and increase the rate.
Energy and climate justice
- Increase the weekly rate of the Fuel Allowance by €7 in line with energy price increases.
- Expand the Fuel Allowance to low income working families.
- Pilot a new Community Energy Advice service
Disability and supports
for children with additional needs
- Introduce a new cost of disability payment starting at €40 per week.
- Increase the provision in-school therapy posts by 80.
- Provide an additional 100 National Educational Psychology Service psychologists posts.
Summary of Key Recommendations for
next Government
Ambition on ending poverty
- Enact a Poverty Act to make targets and poverty proofing legally binding.
- Introduce socio-economic status as a ground in Equality legislation.
- Retain the Child Poverty and Well-Being Unit and create a ringfenced Children’s Budget.
Income and employment - Set up a Social Welfare Commission to recommend annual increases and benchmark
social welfare rates to a Minimum Essential Standard of Living. - Establish a statutory system of child maintenance and remove from Family Courts.
- Commit to a public model of Early Years Education and Care and appoint
a junior minister for Early Years. - Housing and homelessness
- Increase the size of social and cost-rental housing to 20% of all housing stock.
- Place homeless prevention on a statutory footing and ringfence funding
to Local Authorities. - Establish a Migration Agency dealing with all International Protection matters.
Education - Expand and effectively resource the Equal Start model for early years.
- Commit to a full funding review of schools to deliver genuinely free education.
- Review and reform SUSI to make it fit for purpose.
Energy and climate justice - Set a new target to reduce energy poverty and develop a strategy on a statutory footing.
- Incorporate private rented tenants into retrofitting plans with a focus on HAP tenants.
- Mainstream and resource a national community energy advice service.
Disability and supports for children with additional needs - Co-produce a new system of disability payments with Disabled Persons.
- Expand in-school therapeutic services to all primary and post-primary schools.
- Set up a special taskforce to address waiting lists for children with additional needs.
For further details go to submission
Who Watches the Watchers? 