General elections "bring power back to the people for a short time". So reads the introduction to the manifesto published by the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament at a recent meeting in Galway.
"Making a good life for older people" is the theme of the manifesto, which sets out the demands of an affiliated membership of some 80,000. The issues identified have "been around for long enough", it says.
"A buoyant economy is producing the necessary resources," it says, emphasising that the time has come to "implement change".
Income, health, access and status, participation and provision of good housing are the main areas explored. The manifesto is also accompanied by a 12-point questionnaire which members can present to election candidates.
On income, it states that social-welfare pensions have been increased ahead of inflation, but benefits are still "far from adequate". It calls for more progressive policies on social welfare pensions, occupational pension schemes, the social wage, as in State services, and tax.
On health, it makes many of the points made by other groups during the election campaign, but acknowledges the improvement in eligibility for medical cards for older people. Now, everyone reaching 70 is entitled to a card, regardless of income.
The senior citizens group is calling for the extension of the card to people from aged 66 years upwards, and to other categories of people in the low-income bracket who would have difficulty in availing of primary healthcare because of the expense involved.
The manifesto was debated at a meeting in Galway last month, a gathering which "probably could not have happened five years ago", its organisers note.
That it did and that the turnout was so good is a reflection of the more active involvement of senior citizens in society to-day, they say.
"Older people are still excluded from the social partnership that has brought many benefits to our country and that is something which the ISCP wants to see changed," the parliament states.
The partnership process, by its very nature, requires an input from all sections of our community. The experience, wisdom and skills older people have gained over long years is a valuable resource that society ignores to its cost."
The ISCP is on e-mail at seniors@iol.ie