Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In my local area, the community employment scheme and the rural social scheme have been extremely important to people in their 60s. The pandemic has had an impact on volunteering or on people getting involved in their communities.There has been a bit more of an increase in isolation and people are not getting back involved in social activities. The community employment scheme and rural social scheme are ways and measures in which people can get involved. On community activities, we talked about community centres which crisscross both of the Minister's portfolios. What she has done on those schemes has been important and extremely beneficial. It is about encouraging engagement in our local communities by volunteers. That has an impact. I see people who have recently retired are active and getting involved in so many activities. We are so much richer for people with their experience, talents and skillsets from their types of employment, which they are able to give. I know people in their 70s who are going back to college and doing degrees and PhDs. It is great to see that because education is for all ages.

One of the areas we lack in Ireland is in how we encourage people of all ages to come back into education. There is a role for the Department of Social Protection in encouraging people to change career choices, but this is also for people who are in their 70s and 80s. There are options to take up courses and degrees in areas of interest. That could be a hobby or going back to study drama and theatre. Now that we see it coming into the junior cert, it would be great to see grandparents deciding to get involved in that as well. I know a lot of people taking on PhDs in areas of interest they had through their lives and never had an opportunity to study. I know many people in their 70s and 80s who never had the chance to go beyond the inter cert in school. We underestimate the opportunities in this regard and it would be great to see those extra supports when it comes to people of an older age who wish to re-engage in education and study for their own enjoyment.