Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The sub-committee should make a recommendation to contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on the issue. We often hear that legislation and actions need to be equality approved and in this context we often think of gender and disability rather than older people. The culture of respect for older people has changed. When I was growing up, we called our neighbours Mrs. Coffey, Mrs. Byrne or Mrs. Butler; we never called people by their first name. There has been a shift in our culture and there is not the same respect for older people that there was 20 or 30 years ago. Organisations like Age Action are very important. I know from reading the newspapers and from Age Action's publication that it looks at every single aspect of life and equality proofing regarding older people.

I thank the witnesses for coming here today. It is a very important issue. The sub-committee should agree to ask Senator Zappone to contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and any other Department to support the convention.