Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I welcome the campaign against ageism and the Say No To Ageism initiative. We should remember that age discrimination affects people of all ages. In launching such a campaign we should acknowledge there is common ground between discrimination against both younger people and older people. The Minister of State has alluded to this to some extent. There is a particular problem in regard to ageism in terms of older people but there is also a problem with age discrimination against other age groups. For example, we do not fully recognise the rights of children and we have much work to do in this regard, which is also age related. We should take this approach in the future.

We should get rid of the way we categorise people in terms of their age. Discrimination against older people on age grounds is one of the last bastions of acceptable discrimination. It is almost politically correct to discriminate against people in this cohort. Political commentators often make an issue of the age of politicians. For example, they use "middle age" as a term of abuse. They have a certain attitude towards older people in politics. It is as if they consider that if a person is old, he or she is past it and should not take part in politics. Older people are as under-represented in politics as are younger people. This is something that needs to be addressed. I believe Senator White has carried out a study on this. We should not accept derogatory comments relating to a person's age, be it in regard to politicians or people in any other job. People bring something to careers, including politics, no matter what their age or the sector of society from which they come. We need as much diversity in the workforce and society in general as possible.

Bob Carroll, director of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, published an article on an equality website recently. He stated ageism is an endemic cultural problem and referred to a study conducted by his organisation on our health and social services. The study found evidence of upper age limits for intervention, which directly exclude older people, and evidence of a lack of referrals of older people to specialist services. Our constituents also provide us with anecdotal evidence that this is happening and it is not acceptable. The report recommends that future national statements and strategic plans relating to social care for older people should acknowledge the importance of eradicating ageism in the health and social services. This should also apply to local authorities, of one of which I was a member.

The Minister of State referred to supports the Government is providing to house the elderly, which are welcome, but much more needs to be done in that regard because local authorities are not housing older people. The National Council on Ageing and Older People and the Equality Authority jointly published a document entitled Towards Age Friendly Provision of Goods and Services, which was intended to provide guidance for organisations that provide age-friendly goods and services. Account needs to be taken of the specific needs, experiences and situations of older people and other age groups in the design and delivery of goods and services. Local authorities do not do this and they are reluctant to provide housing for the elderly. Their failure to do so is discriminatory. I urge the Minister of State and the Government to tackle local authorities on this issue and ensure they draw down funding to house the elderly.