IRELAND: Making poverty history for Older People

Age Action Ireland’s goal is to make Ireland the best place in which to grow old.

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However, facing into old age without adequate income is a daunting prospect. No one wants to end their days excluded and marginalized from participating in activities that are considered the norm for other people in society. At a minimum, every older person wants to have enough to live healthily with the security of knowing that any future care needs they may have will not leave them destitute.

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While some people argue that the poor will always be with us, there is little justification for Ireland, with all its wealth, tolerating a situation where people still live below the poverty line.

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“People are living in poverty if their income and resources (material, cultural and social) are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living which is regarded as acceptable by Irish society generally. As a result of inadequate income and other resources people may be excluded and marginalized from participating in activities which are considered the norm for other people in society.” (National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion definition of poverty)

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The poverty line is drawn at 60% of median income and those below this line are at risk of poverty. The median is the mid-point of the income distribution where half the households have incomes above this level and half below.

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Facts

• The results of the 2003 EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) indicate that 36.4% of persons aged 65 and over (30.6% males and 40.7% females) are on incomes less than 60% of the national average and this is after social transfers like pensions are included in their income. ;


• Of those aged 65 and over, 7% are in consistent poverty. This equates to over 30,000 people. Consistent poverty includes those who fall below the poverty line and cannot afford such basic items as a roast once a week, a warm waterproof coat or new clothes and often go without adequate heating or experience debt problems. ;


• According to recent figures from the CSO, Ireland spends only 3.6% of its GDP on old age protection in comparison to an average of 12.6% in the EU-15. ;


• According to the 1999 report by the NCAOP looking at Income, Deprivation and Well-Being Among Older Irish People, 82% of elderly people living alone were reliant on social welfare pensions, a figure that remains high at 74% for two or more elderly living alone. ;


• Having consulted our members, a number of proposals for the 2006 budget on how to make poverty history for older people are outlined below.