Ms Brigid Quilligan:

I will take the question on the over 55s. It came strongly through our latest consultation where we had a whole room of over 55s stating that there is nothing there for them. The training centres were closed down. Although not ideal, as there was little progression for people, it was something. People now are at a loss. They have nothing. They are at home. Their mental health is suffering. They are living in poverty. They have been completely let down, both in my opinion and their opinion, by the Irish State.

They told us they felt very let down. It is about activation programmes, training programmes where there is a little income to lift these people out of poverty, and targeted programmes in consultation with them about what they want to train as and would like to do. That includes social enterprises. One woman relayed that she would like to set up a curtain-making business. Some people would like to set up a market trading enterprise. There are many country markets around the country that people could be supported to get back into.