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

Budgets, like politics, are about choices. This Government chooses measures which favour vested interests, golden circles, vulture funds, developers and institutional landlords. Sinn Féin's fully costed alternative budget favours ordinary workers and families, hard-pressed renters and the working poor, all of whom this Government holds in such contempt. As Sinn Féin spokesperson for older people, I would be expected not to like this Government's commodification of our society, where everything and everyone is measured in their worth to the economy rather than to society, so much so a local person's advocacy group, Older Voices Kildare, was awarded meagre funding to assist older people under the heading of "Economically Inactive". What a way to refer to older people.

I have met many older persons' advocacy groups over the past year. I would like to share some of their thoughts on budget 2022. Sage Advocacy believes this budget was an opportunity to build a new partnership between the State and older people but it has fallen short of what could have been delivered; it fails to take account of the varying supports and complexities of care that are needed to ensure that older people can live the lives they want to lead. Age Action Ireland has serious concerns that energy costs will continue to rise next year and push up prices for many goods and services, not only home heating and transport. Prior to this budget, only three in ten people benefited from the fuel allowance. The majority of older people will still not be eligible for this support despite the sharp increase in energy costs in recent months. Active Retirement Ireland believes budget 2022 does not contain enough to give older people a good quality of life. It expresses concern about rising energy costs, along with increased petrol and diesel prices caused by a higher carbon tax. It also believes that the Government has failed to take into account the fact that for the majority of older people the State pension is their sole income. They have no other income supports. ALONE, the organisation that supports older people to age at home, believes budget 2022 highlights Ireland as a country where quality of life in old age is still something for which many have to strive.

Our old people have value. There must be better integration between health, social and community infrastructure supports to ensure older people can continue to contribute on every level in every community across our land. Our older people have given so much and have an awful lot more to give. Realistically, these people are our communities. They are the backbone of what has gone before us and we need to treat them with respect.

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