REACTION:THE PERCEPTION that older people were sheltered from cuts in the Government's four-year plan has been angrily rejected by older people's groups.
Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said there was a suggestion older people were untouchable and had escaped the worst cuts.
“It’s a perception based on Government spin,” he said. Older people on low incomes would be among those hardest hit by the planned cutbacks, he said.
The Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament said the fear of poverty now loomed larger than ever for older people and they were very worried about the budget.
The Government’s four-year plan did not say the contributory or non-contributory State pension would be reduced, but neither did it give a commitment to protect them, Mr Timmins said. “But it did include a series of measures which will hurt the poorest and most vulnerable of older people.”
He said cuts of €3 billion in social welfare payments were promised though it was not known how these savings would be achieved.
Mr Timmins said older people would be affected by the abolition of the income tax exemption limit and tax credit of €20,325 for a single pensioner or widow.
They would also be hit by the introduction of a scheme of charging for essential community health services, based on a patient’s income.
“The carbon tax will be doubled to €30 a tonne by 2014, hurting those who are already struggling to heat their homes to a safe level,” he said.
“Up to 2,000 older people die each winter from cold-related illnesses because they cannot afford to heat their homes to a comfortable level,” he added.
Age Action also expressed concern that funding for free travel and television licence schemes would be frozen at present levels.
