Looking after older people is a value that is shared by most people in the Oireachtas.
That was the message from the Social Protection Minister earlier.
She was asked to respond to comments from the Junior Finance Minister at the weekend when he said wealthier pensioners could pay more to the State.
Joan Burton says she is “surprised” at comments from Brian Hayes.
He said pensioners have escaped the bulk of the cuts while many of working-age have been hit the hardest.
Earlier Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said his party would oppose any changes to pensions and the free travel pass.
Age Action has today launched a petition to protect the dignity of older people and is seeking the support of the public.
The group says that older people have already been hit by a series of cuts in particular to home care supports for older people.
Head of Advocacy with Age Action is Eamon Timmins.
“Only 5% of older people are on the top income decile; 45% of older people are on the bottom 4 income deciles in this country ”“ they’re on very, very low income” he said.
“A lot of them are struggling; when Brian Hayes says (that) they don’t have a mortgage, they don’t have a mortgage – no”.
“But 57% of them have a chronic illness, a third of them have a disability”.
“It’s not just about the mortgage, and I think the reason we need people who signed the petition to go out and talk to their TDs ”“ we need to educate our TDs as to what the challenges of aging are”.
“It’s not about not having a mortgage” he added.
Minister Joan Burton says budgetary decisions are for the Cabinet to make and everything is open to exploration.
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