A network of voluntary groups working with older people has today called on the Minister of State Máire Hoctor to look at more effective and fairer ways of making cost savings than those contained in the Budget.
At Active Retirement Ireland's national council meeting today, what was addressed by the Minister of State for Older People, Máire Hoctor, Active Retirement chief executive Maureen Kavanagh questioned the potential savings to be made by means-testing 5 per cent of over-70 year-olds to check their eligibility for a medical card.
“Throughout the recent debate on the medical card, the Government failed to say how much it intends to save by imposing its revised means-test scheme,” she said. “Active Retirement Ireland believes there are heavy administrative costs associated with the revised scheme, which could potentially offset any savings to be made."
She said that the medical card scheme for over-70s could be better policed and more effectively administered to ensure there is no abuse of the scheme by GPs or recipients.
"Putting more stringent policing systems in place would be a far better way to produce long-term savings than excluding five per cent of older people from the right to a medical card."
Ms Kavanagh said that "maladministration" of the medical card system is "widely acknowledged".
Active Retirement Ireland has also questioned the costs associated with imposing the 1 per cent income levy on occupational pensions.
Active Retirement Ireland is a national network of local and community-based voluntary groups that represents 457 Active Retirement Associations throughout the State, with a total of almost 25,000 members.
Addressing the meeting, the Minister said the Government had adopted a “very practical approach” over recent years towards improving the lives of older people through “unprecedented funding increases”.
“For example, the total funding provision this year to allow the HSE directly support a range of services for older people is in the region of €1.8 billion. Over €800 million of this is ear-marked for residential care services,” she said.
Ms Hoctor added that the Government was committed to supporting access to nursing home care for those who need it, and that this commitment was reflected in the recently announced Fair Deal scheme.
“It will ensure that the provision of financial support for individuals in long-term residential care is clear, sustainable and affordable.”
Under the scheme people moving into a nursing home will pay a maximum of 80 per cent their income towards the cost of their care, based on a Health Service Executive assessment of their assets.
If this does not cover the cost, the State pays the remainder and can recover this cost from the sale of the person's house after their death.
Ms Hoctor also announced her intention to draw up a Strategy for Positive Ageing – “to develop a meaningful and innovative strategy that will result in real improvements in the lives of older people”.
In contrast to scenes at a Dublin church last week, Minister was applauded and presented with flowers when she spoke at the meeting.
Some 200 Active Retirement Ireland members had been warned by President Kevin Molloy to treat Ms Hoctor with respect or leave the room.
However, Mr Molloy said elderly people throughout Ireland were not likely to quickly recover from the contentious Budget move. “The people over 70 felt very hurt and bruised and as we all know, bruises take a long time to heal, as far as older people are concerned,” Mr Molloy said.
“It could well be into the second half of next year before bruises disappear, if they ever disappear.”
Last week up to 2,000 people packed St Andrew’s Church on Westland Row as part of a national protest organised by Age Action Ireland. Minister of State John Moloney and Progressive Democrats Senator Fiona O’Malley were prevented from speaking by angry pensioners who booed and heckled the Government politicians.
Additional reporting PA
