WITH many older people relying on relatively modest pensions, the upcoming winter is going to be a very difficult one, warned Shannon’s Kay Murphy, the former national President of Active Retirement Ireland.
“Of course it will be, sure where are they going to get the money to heat their houses this winter?
“Electricity has gone up several times, gas has gone up more, oil has gone up a lot in price. Those are all sources of energy they use to heat their homes with and to cook with,” she said.
Kay said that many older people struggled during the last two winters, before the energy crisis that has been emerging.
“As you know older people were cocooning in 2020 and 2021 and into 2022. We stayed at home all those winters, and Active Retirement Ireland were inundated with people who were at home alone, putting on extra clothes, putting on overcoats, wrapping themselves in blankets because they couldn’t afford to hear their homes, even then.”
Things are likely to get far worse in the coming months, she feels.
“It’s more expensive now, and last winter was a mild winter, this one may not be as good.
“The cost of heating has gone beyond the pockets of those people who depend on a pension.
“Those people who were lucky enough to get a fuel allowance, last year they got over €900. That won’t even fill a tank of oil now.
“We’re lobbying the Government for an increase, they’d want that to increase to about €1,500, but that’s not going to happen.”
Many older people just won’t have enough to heat their homes, and she says the State needs to acknowledge the situation.
“If they can heat one room on whatever allowance they have they’ll be lucky. It’s a very acute situation for all older people and in Active Retirement Ireland we’re weary from lobbying the Government for more support, to increase the fuel allowance, to increase the pension.
“We’re knocking on the door so often we nearly have an imprint on it, but it’s no good, nothing is being done.”
Many people will be making choices between food and heat, she claims.
“They can’t afford both, but they can’t afford to do without either. What is the answer, who’s going to help. It’s going to be very tough, really and truly.”
She says the State needs to look at the situation of the elderly in the next budget.
“Any Government should look after its older people, they wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for us, they all have to have mothers and grandmothers around the country.
“I don’t know, I don’t think the Government cares enough about older people in this country,” she concluded.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.