Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am getting to it. It is the cost to them. Now, Ireland’s energy costs are the most expensive in the EU. The consequences are stark. Research carried out by ALONE shows one in three people over 65 are at risk of poverty. This is a national disgrace. After a lifetime of contribution to society, a third of our elders face possible poverty. Is it any wonder so many feel compelled to work past retirement age? I recently met a 69 year-old man who was forced to retire at 65, as per his contract. His reasons were simple and genuine. Despite his children holding full-time jobs, they struggled to save while renting. He returned to the workforce as a self-employed worker, not for himself but just so that he could help each of his children equally to get their own home. He told me he would love to retire like his friends but must put his family first. His story is not unique. It is the Ireland of today. We cannot let Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael dictate the narrative on retirement, with the mindset that you must work as long as you are fit to do so. After a lifetime of contribution, people deserve the right to retire at 65 with dignity, to enjoy that time, go on new adventures, take up new hobbies and spend quality time with their children and grandchildren. This legislation is a start but we must address the causes of financial insecurity for older people.

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