Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I first want to thank the Cathaoirleach’s office for choosing this Commencement matter this morning. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, to the Chamber. As he is aware, this is the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030, where the focus is on the second half of life. The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is a global collaboration, bringing together governments, civil society, international agencies, professional academia, the media and the private sector for ten years of concerted and collaborative action to foster longer and healthier lives. It has four areas: age-friendly environment, including better places in which to grow, live, work, play and age; combating ageism, which involves tackling stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination towards people on the basis of age; integrated care, because older people require a comprehensive set of services to prevent slow or reverse declines in their physical and mental capacity; and long-term care, involving access to good quality long-term care for those who need it.

The number of people aged 65 and over is estimated to have risen by more than 40% between 2013 and 2023, from 569,000 persons to 806,000. It is expected to double again in this country by 2051, with an almost 80% increase the number of people aged over 70 and older holding full driver's licences between 2012 and 2022 from 205,000 to 366,000. The number of marriages registered by people aged 60 and over has more than doubled between 2012 and 2022 from 505 to 1,028. Also, for 5% of households that were owner-occupied with a loan or mortgage, the owner was a person aged 65 or over. More than 113,000 people aged 65 and over were in employment in the third quarter of 2023, working for an average 31.1 hours per week. Some of these were unfortunately by necessity but many were of course by choice.

This is all CSO data. It is indicative of the increasing number of people aged over 65 who hopefully will have long, healthy lives left ahead of them and who have a lot to contribute to society and to their communities. The positive ageing strategy expired in 2018 and I think it is time that the Department evaluates that and aims to progress a new positive ageing strategy. A number of changes have taken place since the original strategy was enacted. Of course, the data I have given shows the changes in numbers and longer working lives. There is a greater focus year on year on healthy living, and, for example, there are the Men's Sheds. They were in their infancy in 2013 but are now widespread across the country, and, indeed, women's sheds are coming through as well. They play such an important role in both rural and urban communities to give a focus and an outlet for people. These are not always and do not have to be older people, but in the Men’s Sheds that I see and engage with, they are predominately older people.

I believe a new all-encompassing strategy for this growing cohort of people is important. I believe this should be an ongoing strategy. The name of the old strategy was “positive ageing”. There is only one alternative to getting older and it is not too great. It is therefore important that people who get older have something to look forward to. Some of them may not always have a family around them, so they need to get involved in the community. We need to ensure that they can live their best lives and can continue to contribute to the society in which they are living for their own sake and for their communities’ sake as well.