Age Action claims welfare cuts could cause deaths
Dublin People 01 Oct 2011
CUTS to
pensioners’ and widowers’ social welfare benefits will increase the likelihood
of fatalities among the elderly this winter, it has been claimed.
Household benefits
packages and the fuel allowance are to be hit leaving welfare recipients
?¬35
less a month during the winter.
The measures also
mean that those receiving the gas and electricity allowances will receive
?¬8
less for both monthly payments. And those who currently receive the weekly
allowance of
?¬3.90 for smokeless fuel will no longer gain the benefit as it has
been abolished.
In addition, the
monthly telephone allowance has also been cut by over
?¬3 except for eircom
customers who will see an increase in their allowance of over
?¬22 because of a
significant renegotiation of a previous deal with the company.
The cuts are all
part of a raft of measures that were approved by the Government last July
following commitments to the IMF/EU/ECB troika as part of the bailout deal.
Advocacy group for
the elderly, Age Action Ireland, described the cuts as
“highly dangerous
?.
It urged Minister
for Social Protection, Joan Burton, to reverse them as a matter of urgency in
order to avert what it said was the likelihood of further suffering and
increased fatalities among older people this winter.
Age Action’s Head
of Advocacy, Eamon Timmins, warned that the last available data showed that
many of the 2,000 winter deaths in Ireland each year were of older people dying
from cold-related illnesses.
“Unless the
Government intervenes, the plight of the most vulnerable older people who
struggle to heat their homes will worsen,
? he said.
Age Action has
estimated that the combined impact of the cuts to the various allowances will
cost pensioners up to
?¬265.20 per annum – the equivalent of more than a week’s
State pension.
“Last winter older
people told us they were left choosing between buying food or fuel,
? Mr Timmins
added.
“Not only is it unacceptable it is also highly dangerous.
?
Sinn Féin’s
representative for the Ballyfermot/Drimnagh area, Daithà Doolan, said that
figures obtained by his party showed how 94,815 people in Dublin will have
their fuel allowance cut as a result of the measures.
“These cuts are
truly shocking,
? he said.
“Minister Burton’s announcement will push more people
into fuel poverty. These cuts can literally mean the difference between life
and death for our neighbours.
?
The Department of
Social Protection referred to a speech made by Minister Burton when she
announced the cuts in July.
“While we want to
protect the basic social welfare payments which have very positive economic and
social effects, regrettably there is an ongoing necessity to achieve savings
due to our commitments with the IMF/EU/ ECB Troika,
? Minister Burton said at
the time.
“We are looking
carefully at all our schemes and I will continue to negotiate with suppliers to
ensure we get the best value for money with the least impact on our customers.
?
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