Business
Helping pensioners to know their entitlements
By Kathleen Lynch, Minister for Equality, Disability, Mental Health and Older People
Older people make a huge and valuable contribution to our local communities. That is why it’s vital we strive to meet their home support and continuing care needs so we can enable pensioners to live in comfort in the community for as long as possible.
At a time when the number of people over the age of 65 is increasing by 20,000 a year, with the over-eighties population growing by some four per cent annually, we need now more than ever to be planning for their futures and supporting their needs.
As a Labour Minister with responsibility for the elderly, I know fully the sacrifices made by thousands of pensioners across Galway over the last few years as the Government steered this country back from the brink.
Now, with the economy improving, I want to ensure every one of them benefits as the recovery emerges. Put simply, they deserve no less.
In Budget 2015, the Labour Party worked hard to win supports for pensioners and hard-pressed families.
I am pleased that, for example, the partial restoration of the Christmas bonus means that in Galway, some 25,739 pensioners will now have extra money in their pockets in the run-up to the holidays.
Over 1.16 million Irish people will benefit from this payment overall, including carers, long-term unemployed and those in receipt of one-parent family payment, blind pension and widow’s pension.
Often in the immediate aftermath of a Budget, details about measures like the Christmas bonus can get lost in the noise as people digest the big-ticket items.
Therefore, in a bid to ensure that pensioners are fully aware of the supports introduced in the Budget to help them, I have launched a grassroots information campaign to advise them on changes that have been made to some of their entitlements – changes that will have a tangible, positive effect on their everyday lives.
It will run for a number of weeks and is being co-ordinated by Tánaiste Joan Burton and Labour leader, who has for four consecutive Budgets protected the State pension and the free travel allowance for those aged over 66.
Working with our colleagues in Galway, Deputy Derek Nolan and Senator Lorraine Higgins, the campaign aims to target 80,000 pensioners nationwide through a series of information leaflets, local radio interviews and social media activity. As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. Information is power.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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