Alliance of Age Sector NGOs[1] meets with general election candidates and calls for the set-up of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People
Age Alliance Pre Election Briefing Event 18th Sept 2024
At present, policy for older people in Ireland is the responsibility of the Department of Health.
Older people, however, are not a homogenous group and have needs and rights far beyond this Department.
There are many factors which impact on our ability to age well and, in the experience of the Age Alliance, significant numbers of older people experience challenges relating to income, housing, health, transport, work, energy, education, and digital communications.
The Age Alliance is therefore calling for the speedy establishment of a new public office – an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People (similar to that which is in place in both Northern Ireland and Wales) – that would account directly to the Oireachtas, with a mandate that recognises the full capacity and potential of older people, covering their needs and rights across the spectrum, not just in terms of health, care, and vulnerability.
Such an office would be a key ‘asset’ for Government, helping its departments and agencies to integrate ageing issues into all relevant policy fields and to effect strong implementation and good value for money.
Just a small number of the key issues spotlighted at this briefing event included the following;
- We have a growing older adult population base – which is increasing year on year. People aged 60 or older currently represent one in four adults in Ireland. By the end of the next five-year Government term (2030) the population aged over 65 will have grown to over 1 million. We need a well-planned whole of Government response.
- The older adult population is not a homogenous group. While most of us are living longer, healthier lives and can look forward to years of active older age there remain profound inequalities for too many.
- Ageist stereotypes persist in society. A number of Age Alliance publications[2] [3] [4] have exposed the ingrained nature and impact of ageism in Ireland. There are numerous and harmful effects associated with ageism including shorter lifespan (estimated by the WHO at as much as 7.5 years), diminished mental and physical health, isolation, lost commitment to the workplace, cognitive decline, reduced quality of life. Ageism can also contribute to poverty and financial insecurity in older age. 34% of people aged 50+ reported experiencing discrimination in 2011. This had increased to 45% in 2016. Today, post pandemic, we can safely assume the figure has increased again.
- Older people and financial security: Multiple Government policies have committed to implement benchmarking of the pension by 2021. Meanwhile there has been an increase in poverty rates among older people. CSO data (SILC 2022) indicates that those aged 65+ were the only cohort to see increases across all three poverty rates between 2020 and 2021 – at risk of poverty (9.8% to 11.9%); deprivation (8.1% to 8.4%); and consistent poverty (1.0% to 2.5%). The situation is worse where an older person aged 65 or older is living alone. For this cohort, the at risk of poverty rate increased from 20.5% to 21.5%, deprivation increased from 10.6% to 12.1%, and consistent poverty increased from 2.2% to 4.3%. Only two thirds of State Pension recipients receive the maximum rate of payment while people aged 65+ living alone had the lowest household income in 2022, at €16,840. Ireland is now the only country in the eurozone without a system of benchmarking the state pension.
- Older people and housing: The number of private renters aged 65+ has increased by 83% since the Census in 2016 and has more than doubled since 2011. Although more and more people are retiring now without owning a home, the evidence shows that paying rent on a pension alone is simply not possible. Census figures also show significant increases since 2016 in over 65s who are still paying off a loan or mortgage on their home (19.8%). Close to half of older persons (48%) do not have adequate housing as defined by the UN standard.
- Older people and mental health: Pre-pandemic, 10% of over 50s surveyed by TILDA (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing) reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. By 2021, this figure had more than doubled.
- Older people and loneliness: Multiple Government policies have pledged to develop a national level plan to tackle loneliness and isolation. An EU-wide survey (European Commission, 2022) on loneliness found over 20% of respondents in Ireland reported feeling lonely most or all of the time, compared to the European average of 13%, and the lowest levels found in the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Croatia and Austria (all below 10%). Yet no plan to tackle loneliness and isolation has been developed or launched.
- Older people and physical activity: Only 33% of adults aged over 65 and 18% of adults aged over 75 are meeting the National Physical Activity Guidelines.
- Care in the home: Government has pledged to introduce a statutory scheme to support people to age well in their own homes. Work on the development of such a scheme is ongoing but no scheme would appear to be close to being put in place.
- Older people and the Internet: Approximately two thirds of older persons do not use the internet or lack the basic skills to do so confidently.
- As recently as 2022 the National Positive Ageing Strategy (2013) was described as being an ‘’integral part of the Governments agenda to improve the lives of older people in Ireland’’. Strikingly, no implementation plan for the 2013 Strategy was ever developed. No monitoring or reporting plan was ever introduced. No ring-fenced budget was ever applied.
What the Age Alliance believes is missing is an independent champion with statutory powers and a cross-Departmental brief who takes responsibility for focused progress on tackling ageism and making the 2013 Positive Ageing Strategy vision a reality.
Independent Commissioners, with strong track records of achievements, are in place in both Northern Ireland (estb. 2011 with a £1.5m budget in 2022) and Wales (estb. 2008 with a £1.1m budget in 2022).
The Age Alliance is asking all election candidates to support the call for the establishment of this new public office and include this as a commitment within any general election manifesto and future Programme for Government.
This single investment will help to ensure that all the key players streamline their work, with the expressed interests and needs of older people at their core. It has the potential to make a real difference for older people.
Quotes:
The Age Alliance said: ‘’We are calling on all political parties and general election candidates to support the establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People and include this as a commitment within any general election manifesto and future Programme for Government. Such an office holder would act as a ‘champion’ with a cross-Departmental brief to prioritise older people’s issues’’.
The Age Alliance said: ‘‘An Independent Commissioner would be a key ‘asset’ for Government, helping its departments and agencies to integrate ageing issues into all relevant policy fields and to effect strong implementation and good value for money. Relatively speaking the set-up of an Independent Commissioner would not represent a significant budget ask. Independent Commissioners, with strong track records of achievements directly for older people, are in place in both Northern Ireland and Wales. Ireland’s growing older population constitute an engine for recovery, not a drain. Ireland needs a well-planned whole of Government response in this key area’’.
The Age Alliance said: ‘’An ageing Ireland is an issue in which people of all ages will have a stake. We all want to age well. Collectively, we need to hold Government to account on the pledges that have been made in respect of positive ageing as these are the issues that can make a real difference to the lived experience of our older adult population. An Independent Commissioner would have responsibility for ensuring the effective mainstreaming of ageing across Government, and an ability to hold Government and public bodies to account’’.
Community Foundation Ireland CEO Denise Charlton, which is supporting the work of the Alliance, said: “Our older adult population will be the fastest growing demographic of the 21st Century. We are proud philanthropic partners of the Age Alliance and fully endorse the call for the urgent establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People. Both successful and ‘promising’ age friendly practice are already visible, but these now need to be scaled up so that they are more readily accessible no matter where one lives. An Independent Commissioner would play a critical role in supporting departments and agencies to integrate ageing issues into all relevant policy fields’’.
[1] The seven member organisations are: Active Retirement Ireland, Age & Opportunity, ALONE, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and Third Age.
[2] Telling it Like It Is; What older people told us about their experience of Covid-19, and what Ireland should do about it. (Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, 2021).
[3] Telling It Like It Is; Combatting ageism. (Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, 2023)
[4] Taking Stock; Is Government keeping its commitments to older people? (Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, 2024)
