Poverty among older people
Eoin Hayes raises sharply increased poverty among older people living alone, while the Taoiseach points to pension, fuel-allowance and targeted social-protection increases.
The CSO recently released data on rising levels of poverty among our older population. The consistent poverty rate for those living alone aged 65 years and over was 9.6%, which is nearly one out of every ten, compared with 5.2% in 2024. This is a staggering near doubling in just one year. More than 30% are now at risk of poverty. I know the Taoiseach was in Stoneybatter yesterday evening and I was not so far away, canvassing in Phibsborough. As he went door to door, did the Taoiseach meet the pensioners who are struggling to heat their homes, the ones who stay in bed until a bit later to save on gas or home heating oil? Just an hour ago I heard from family carers telling me the cost of energy for them at home has tripled and the Government is overwhelmingly failing them in the support they have in their hand. Pensioners need supports, carers need supports and disabled people need supports. Will the Government finally implement the Social Democrat's proposed €400 targeted energy credit for older people and disabled people and those who care for them?
Comment on this
I was out knocking on doors and I did meet pensioners. We had very good conversations. In the last budget we increased the pension by €10. That was significantly above the going rate of inflation at that particular time.
Comment on this
We have increased the fuel allowance. We have substantial provision for pensioners in our social protection frameworks. We allocated an additional €2 billion. There is a sense in the House that we can literally allocate billions more to everybody. We do need some conversation around targeting. I think targeting is important for pensioners as well, which we have done and which we will do more of. In terms of child poverty as well, we targeted it in the budget and it gets ignored because people want universality left, right and centre. As Deputy Hayes knows, there was a €16 increase in the child support payment for children aged over 12, bringing it to €78. There is a danger in the House that we are going to lose the importance of targeting in the political debate about the cost of living.