Ways of fast-tracking a €100 increase in the old age pension instead of spreading it over five years are being considered by the Minister of State with responsibility for older people, Máire Hoctor.
The Government has promised to increase the €200 per week pension to €300 before 2012 but Age Action Ireland has been urging it to introduce the €300 pension now so that pensioners can feel the full benefit.
Speaking after she addressed Age Action Ireland's agm in Dublin yesterday, Ms Hoctor said she had discussed the issue with Minister for Social and Family Affairs Martin Cullen and his pension policy team. "The current policy would be to divide that additional €100 over the five years but we will be doing our best to try to frontload it," she said. "We would also be looking at other supports within the pension scheme to see how they may be fast-tracked."
She said she was looking at ways of improving the Living Alone allowance and the fuel allowance as other ways of supporting older people. "But we have nothing guaranteed. We are just in the pre-budget negotiation process at the moment."
Ms Hoctor said an extra €400 million had been added to services for older people in the past two years. Age Action Ireland yesterday urged the Government to use the next budget to show its commitment to older people.
Its chief executive Robin Webster told the agm that the services for older people and their carers must be improved to ensure that no older person has to leave their home because of lack of services.
"The opportunities for older people for social contact, personal development and community participation must be expanded significantly," he added.
Meanwhile, Age Action chairman Tony Condon highlighted the need to tackle age discrimination instead of just raising awareness of it.
