Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 15 February 2023

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare: Discussion (Resumed)

Dr. Nat O'Connor:

I will offer a modified answer to the question. We would like to broaden out a number of the recommendations from working age to include older persons. Whether it is public employment services or particular taxation or welfare, it is only focused on people of so-called working age, yet another branch of Government is trying to facilitate people who wish to and are capable of working for longer - to 70 and beyond, for example, with the deferred State pension. We need joined-up thinking. A number of recommendations for some reason specify working age and we would expand them to include all older persons.