Charismatic ‘grey’ leader could mobilise strong lobby

Strong, intelligent, energetic, and relatively well off, the elderly could be kingmakers of any future government, says George Hook

IAM currently on a whistle-stop tour around Ireland as part of a series of meetings entitled, “Are We Minding an Ageing Population?” The events are aimed at giving older people a platform to discuss issues of concern in an ageing society.

The core themes chosen were based on the anecdotal evidence unearthed by Bluebird Care during the course of its market research.

So far the roadshow has been to Dublin, Sligo and Galway. Next up is Kilkenny before the series concludes in front of a sellout audience of 250 in Cork. The average attendance so far has been 100, and although valuable information has been disseminated from the platform, the audience interaction has been instructive.

Protest is seen as the prerogative of the young, but as austerity hits the most vulnerable of our society, Ireland — to paraphrase the title of a movie — may no longer be a country for the very old and the very young.

The Minister for Finance sees the savings and pensions of the elderly as an easy mark. His decision to raise Dirt tax is an unprecedented attack on savings, following as it did on the pension levy.

The demographics for the future finances of the country are worrying. In less than 10 years there will be 800,000 people over 65 in Ireland; another 20 years on, that figure will have risen to 1.2 million.

The State may be unable to pay the pension and health bill for that cohort. However, representing one in five of the population, the elderly could be a powerful lobby group, given that unlike younger citizens they invariably vote. If mobilised, they could be the kingmakers of any future government.

Not for the first time we saw the so-called grey lobby flexing its muscle outside Leinster House. This time around it was a very different event from the medical card protest which prompted a Government U-turn.

Last week’s demonstration was a rally, but never with the sense that the participants thought that the Government’s Budget decisions would be changed by the vision of thousands of pensioners on the streets. There were the usual sound bites on radio and television which, as invariably happens on these occasions, merely highlighted the fact that there was no coherent proposal for change — unlike the last time when the single item of the medical card galvanised the opposition. This time around, it was just a venting of frustration.

However, coming face to face with older people in the nonthreatening environment of a hotel room gave me an insight into the issues confronting the aged that I had not seen from my relatively lofty perch in a radio studio.

I was surprised to discover that most people saw growing old as a virtue. In Galway, two women who swam daily in the sea complained that despite the bye-laws dogs were regularly walked on the city’s beaches. A majority of the audiences were contributing to society in a voluntary capacity which was not recognised or valued.

They wanted and were able to contribute, but invariably legal or organisational obstacles were in the way. Former teachers were happy to assist children with learning difficulties but schools were loath to use them because of garda checks or union objections.

‘Having paid taxes, lived frugal lives and saved for the rainy day, they felt let down by a Government that did not value them’

The impact of austerity on older people was spoken of in ways that I had not understood. The changing economic landscape meant that often older people were now socially isolated as emigration meant that family members had moved abroad.

Having paid taxes, lived frugal lives and saved for the rainy day, they felt let down by a Government that did not value them.

Like older people of every generation, there was the worry of being a burden on their family or, worse still, being unable to pay for or access quality care.

Active retirement groups were in the audiences and one questioner wondered about the possibility of opportunities for sex for members. It raised a laugh, but the topic deserves wider discussion and may feature in remaining meetings.

There is a distinct sense amongst older people that they are not adequately represented in Dail Eireann. The lack of an ambassador for the elderly was raised and there is little doubt that a national organisation with political aims might find favour.

“We would put the civil war to bed,” one man told me, “if we thought that by pooling our voting strength we could accomplish change.” One charismatic leader of pensionable age could mobilise a powerful lobby. The established parties would run scared at the prospect.

Over the coming weeks a picture will emerge of how the group of citizens that built this country will react to the new circumstances in which they find themselves.

There is a militancy as yet unorganised abroad, but we may be seeing a change in attitudes. Many are living on minimum resources where there is a stark choice between food and heat. Others live lonely and alone, waiting for an end that will release them from the burden. However, there is a group of strong, intelligent, relatively well-off older people that may take up the cudgels on behalf of their disadvantaged fellows.

This could be the start of something big.