Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----and raised the issues of the increase in prescription charges, the loss of medical cards for the over 70s and the abolition of the telephone allowance. These active retirement groups have been having meetings, their members protested outside the House yesterday and they talked about the difficult situations they find themselves in having worked hard all their lives and made great contributions to society.

Energy costs are also an important factor. Increasing energy costs are putting a good deal of pressure on families and on elderly people who live alone. It is ironic that meetings are currently being held in Galway about increasing restrictions being imposed on turf-cutting. The humble sod of turf is now to the forefront of many people's minds. Turf is the main fuel in many houses, whether it is used for heating or cooking. More areas of bog are being put out of bounds for turf-cutting. The restriction used to apply to special areas of conservation and now it applies to natural heritage areas.

I hope that all these issues, including in particular the budget measures that will impact on health insurance costs, will be examined. Those measures are likely to worsen the position for elderly people. It is estimated that more than 1 million will face a tax hike with this charge. It will not only affect the gold-plated polices. More and more people over 60 years of age are taking up private health insurance. I understand the number of people over the age of 60 with private health insurance rose by 22,000 between 2011 and 2012. I hope that these measures will be resisted and the Government will reverse them and do so as soon as possible.

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