Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I am conscious of the discussion we have just had. I want to put on the record of the House my support, the same as the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste today, for the fact that there was an attempted focus on humanitarian aid that is necessary for Gaza, and thank the Tánaiste and his officials for all the work they are doing in delivering consular assistance for Irish citizens and for drawing broader international attention to what is happening in those waters at present.

As well as that, I put on the record of the House my condemnation of the absolute horror that has unfolded in the Manchester synagogue this morning and the loss of life there. As has been said, if antisemitism is the motive behind this attack, that should be roundly condemned.

I turn, with the indulgence of the House, towards a topic that has been raised by me as a constituency TD but also as someone who is a public representative. That is the need to ensure that no people are left behind as we move towards digital first service delivery. This is especially with regard to our older citizens and those who face barriers to accessing online services. Over the past two months alone, in my constituency office, we have seen real examples of exclusion. A major telecom provider now insists on charging €5.50 a month for paper bills for pensioners, which is a financial penalty for simply not being online. One constituent struggled for weeks to cancel a TV service because the support channels were not open and available to them. They had to contact my office to get assistance in cancelling that TV service. Others contact us frequently to say they are waiting for long times on phone chats or phone lines with chat bots without necessarily getting the support and understanding that they need. Even with things like housing adaptation grant applications, there are complex forms with very little understanding or insight about how to complete them properly.

This is not about saying that the digital advance must be slowed or that we should not be looking to improve digital skills among older people, but it is about independence, securing dignity and fairness for all our citizens. Many older people are proud of their independence and might not necessarily want to ask for help, but when services only go online, they face an immediate barrier. We know that we face challenges with the prevalence of digital skills among older people. The prevalence of basic digital literacy skills among over-65s in Ireland is at 19%, below the EU average of 25%. In Ireland, six out of ten adults over 60 are ones who do not consider themselves to ordinarily use the Internet or have basic digital skills.

I am sure the Tánaiste would agree that technology should open doors, not necessarily close them, but we need to combine digital innovation with inclusive, respectful support. By backing initiatives like Age Action's getting started, or ALONE's digital champion workshops, we can make sure that these are available in every community, and also ensure that we put a safety net in place for those older citizens who may not necessarily feel comfortable with an increasingly online world. In the absence of the skills that they need to engage with those services, companies in the private sector and the public sector should show compassion in dealing with those older people and ensure there is support for them so that they are able to access the services that they need and, in many cases, the services that they rely on.

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