MAIREAD TÓIBÍN: Parties Need to Make Clear their Pension Age Stance Clear to Dublin Bay South Voters

Aontú Candidate for the Dublin Bay South Bye-Election, Mairéad Tóibín, has immediately called for all parties contesting the Dublin Bay South Bye-Election to clarify whether they support the raising of the pension age on pensioners.

Mairead Tóibín:

“In 2011, in their first year in government, Fine Gael and Labour legislated to raise the pension age from 65 to 68 incrementally. In the run-up to General Election 2020, for fear of losing considerable votes, both FF and FG rejected proposals to raise the pension age. Now their policy on the pension age is indistinguishable, and is just awaiting the most politically opportune time to push through a raise in the pension age. Sinn Féin meanwhile are operating on a partitioned bases backing raising the pension age in the North, but opposing raising it in the South. Aontú has been consistent in our commitment to not raising the pension age – why can’t other parties offer that certainty to voters? All this is happening when TDs and Ministers are entitled to their full pension, and golden handshake at 65.”

“Successive governments in this country have looked to recoup economic losses at the expense of the rights and entitlements of our most vulnerable and hard-working. In 2008, to bail out the banking sector, medical cards were attacked. Retirees did not cause the crisis but were nonetheless expected to bail out the offenders. Fast forward to today, this crisis is of no one’s making. Yet this government looks to make older men and women work for longer.”

"All political parties should be honest with the people of Dublin Bay South and lay their cards openly on the table. More than that, the political establishment need to match actions with their words."

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder a half a billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.