Age Sector Platform (ASP) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the review by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the Civic Forum. Age Sector Platform was established in December 2007 as a company limited by guarantee to campaign and lobby for older people in Northern Ireland. The organisation has emerged from the Age Sector Reference Group (ASRG) which had been in operation for seven years supported by Help the Aged in Northern Ireland and Age Concern Northern Ireland. Age Sector Platform has a membership base of 25 older people’s organisations and networks which represent approximately 200,000 older people across Northern Ireland.