EU figures highlight need for Govt to plan for ageing society
Age Action welcomes the publication by the European Commission today of population projections for 2008-2060 for the EU. They provide clear evidence of the need for the Government to begin planning for Ireland’s ageing population.
The Eurostat figures predict that the percentage of the Irish population aged over-65 will rise from the current 11.2% to 25.2% by 2060. Over the same period, the percentage of the population aged over-80 will increase from the current 2.8% to 9.6%. Significantly, the old age dependency ratio will rise from 16.3% to 43.6%.
“The figures show why it is so important that the Government starts planning and preparing now for an ageing population,” Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said. “We need to address issues such as pensions, services to enable older people remain living in their own homes, transport and employment policies.”
Age Action welcomes the fact that the Government has produced a Green Paper on pensions and is also committed to drawing up a national positive ageing strategy. However work on both these key policies must proceed as a matter of priority so that work on implementing the pensions policy and positive ageing strategy can begin during the lifetime of this government.
Read More
Similar entries
- Life expectancy has increased - CSO
- 'Tougher laws needed on elder abuse'
- Age Action comment: Government decision to scrap Carer's Strategy must be reversed
- Britain's population timebomb: By 2060 there'll be just two workers for every pensioner
- People living longer with ill health
- Age Action urges older voters: make your voice heard
- Caught in poverty trap: our elderly at bottom of EU pensions league
- Elderly to make up quarter of state’s population by 2041
- Age Action comment on HSE decision to cut day care services in Boyle
- Making positive ageing a reality - Age Action Ireland Pre-Budget Submission 2008
