Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today is International Day of Older Persons, a group of people who have been left behind in the many roadmap announcements over the past few months. I have asked on numerous occasions in this House that the Government consider older people when formulating plans and that it consider those who have different abilities. We cannot continue to ask them to live like hermits. We need a balance between physical and mental health. They need to be allowed to have a quality of life. Day care centres need to reopen. They are an invaluable service and we should be investing in them. A lady called into my office the day after the roadmap for living with Covid-19 was announced. Her words to me were very telling. She said that if people were not confused, they were not paying attention. I ask the Minister of State to save our money, ditch the PR firm and talk to the National Adult Literacy Agency for advice on delivering messages in plain and easy to understand language. On this International Day of Older Persons I commend all groups working with older people on ensuring they have an improved quality of life and that their voices are heard at the highest level. I have met many of them and hope to meet others over the next few weeks. It will most likely be online due to the current restrictions. I would particularly like to commend my former volunteering colleagues in the Vincent's shops in Kilcullen and Athy. Many of the older volunteers were the backbone of these important fundraising outlets. I urge everyone to keep donating and purchasing from these charity shops.

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