John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

By 2020, one in four of all European Union citizens will be aged 60 or over. Sharp increases in life expectancy have been followed by substantial falls in fertility rates. This means that fewer people will be working to generate resources to meet the needs of an ageing population. This has caused panic and scaremongering in some quarters regarding society's ability to cope with the change.

In developing any policy, we need consultation and education. There are concerns that people of all ages need to be aware of issues and policies related to ageing. We need to build a stronger older peoples' movement and recognise that people have competing priorities. In this regard, I congratulate the Senior Citizens' Parliament, representatives of which I have met on a number of occasions, on the work it has done.