Senator James Carroll has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Older People and Health Promotion, Áine Brady TD that she is beginning a series of meetings around the country to hear at first-hand the views of older people on issues that affect them. The meetings are a further part of the Minister’s work to develop a new Positive Ageing Strategy. The Minister said that the new Strategy will set the direction for future policies, programmes and services for older people in Ireland.

“I want in my time in national politics used to ensure that the Government recognises and appreciates the position of older people in Irish society. Minister Brady will be coming to Louth soon and this reflects the importance that County Louth needs to attach to the needs of older people,” Senator Carroll said.

“The Minister has noted that she was particularly keen to hear the views of older people themselves about the barriers they experience in their day to day lives and how these affect them as well as their ability to participate in their communities. Some of this, she suggested, arose from ageist attitudes and practices and quite often people were not even conscious of these,” Senator James Carroll added.

“The Minister added that her call for submissions to the National Positive Ageing Strategy had been very successful. 186 submissions had been received from a broad range of agencies and organisations as well as individual older people from all over Ireland. She now wants to follow that up with face to face meetings around the country, including Louth. She is planning to have eight meetings in all over the coming months.”

Minister Brady plans to attend the meetings on the new Strategy around the country during the months of March and April. The first of these will be in Cork on March 4th. These will be followed by subsequent meetings in Galway, Limerick, Wexford, Kildare, Louth and Dublin. Specific details of the Louth meeting will be announced nearer the date.

Members of the public who require further information can contact Senator James Carroll’s Office at 1 Dyer Street at 041-9843974 or the Strategy Development Unit, Office for Older People, Department of Health and Children – Tel: (01) 635 3057 or e-mail Positiveageing@health.gov.ie.

ENDS