Elderly in Louth offered relief in budget

The moves to increase the living alone allowance and introduce a Christmas bonus payment are proof older people in Co. Louth have not been forgotten in Budget 2015. That’s according to Labour Senator Mary Moran, who was welcoming the moves announced by Minister Brendan Howlin last week.

Moran said: “The slow but steady pick-up in the economy has allowed us to give something back in the recent Budget. We have been able to offer some relief to our older people in particular, who built this country and sacrificed so much in recent years.

“I’m glad to see the introduction of a 25% Christmas bonus, which pensioners in Louth will receive this Christmas. Having lobbied my colleague Tánaiste Joan Burton on this issue, I am pleased to see my proposals have been acted on.

“We were also able to increase the Living Alone Allowance to €9 per week. This is the first time in 18 years any government has raised this allowance, and it will be a further help to pensioners and people with disabilities living alone.

“On top of these payments, we have managed to protect the free travel pass. There was a lot of speculation and concern about this prized payment before the Budget, with some groups claiming the pass was under threat. We were determined that this would not be so, and have protected it in full in the Budget.

“As many older people in Louth have expressed concern to me about water charges, I am pleased we’ve been able to help pensioners towards meeting this cost. Anyone in receipt of Household Benefits Package or the Fuel Allowance will receive a €100 water support payment, to help defray the cost of the charge.

“In addition, the 0.6% pension levy will expire this year, removing another burden for older people.

“And I am informed by my colleague Minister Alan Kelly that the senior alert scheme, which offers monitored alarms for older people to live securely in their homes, will be funded as part of a €133 million investment in community programmes.

“People around the country are at last beginning to feel the benefit of the recovery, and we want older people to be fully part of that recovery. Labour has always been deeply committed to supporting pensioners and older citizens, and the package of measures we have announced in this Budget show we have acted on this commitment.”