Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:"notes:

— the importance of ensuring the elderly are fully empowered to engage with society and are enabled to continue to be active members of their communities in all aspects;

— the vital role the free travel pass has played in supporting elderly people and reducing isolation since it was introduced in 1967;

— the broader economic benefit to towns and the hospitality sector that the free travel pass provides by facilitating easier access by the elderly;

— the decision of the previous Government to freeze funding for the free travel scheme at a time when numbers eligible were increasing each year;

— the failure by the previous Government to develop a positive aging strategy;

— the critical importance of reviewing expenditure to ensure continued effectiveness and sustainability;

— the need for reviews of eligibility, as identified by the Comptroller and Auditor General, in order to ensure that public financial resources are spent in accordance with legislation;

— that cuts to public spending and increases in charges were necessary to restore the public finances after the economic mismanagement of the previous Government; and

— the publication jointly by the Economic and Social Research Institute and the Department of Social Protection of a research report on social transfers and poverty alleviation in Ireland which highlights the crucial role of the welfare system in alleviating poverty, ensuring those who need it most are protected and helping individuals and their families to overcome the severe difficulties caused by the economic crisis; and

acknowledges:

— that the social protection system has been extraordinarily effective in terms of income redistribution and poverty alleviation;

— that the Government has supported and protected the core weekly social protection payments;

— that the Government has protected the free travel scheme, despite the increasing numbers of eligible people and a freeze on funding imposed by the previous Government, and is committed to fully supporting and retaining the free travel scheme as a universal benefit for elderly people;

— that through the National Positive Aging Strategy, the Government has recognised the contribution of older people to society and has prioritised the concerns of older people across the whole of Government in a new way;

— that all relevant Government Departments are actively working effectively to implement the goals of the National Positive Aging Strategy across their areas of responsibility;

— the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure access to primary care services to over 1.9 million people through the medical card and GP visit card schemes;

— the Government’s decision to develop a policy framework for providing eligibility for health services on the basis of medical conditions;

— that stable public finances are helping support long-term economic growth and job creation; and

— that this Government is determined to maintain its success in leading Ireland back to sustainable growth in living standards and in employment."

I wish to share time with the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, and Deputies Nash, Conway, Áine Collins, McEntee and Ó Ríordáin.

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