Age Action to discuss changes in state pensions with Employment Affairs and Social Protection Committee

The meeting at 11 a.m. in Committee Room 4 will feature a presentation by Age Action Ireland, the advocacy group for older people.

Age Action officials last year told the Committee of their concerns about the amounts and tax treatment of pension payments as part of the Committee’s review, published in July 2017, which proposed ways of making the contributory pension scheme more equitable.

In January the government announced a package of changes designed to increase contributory state pension payments, particularly for those affected by rate band changes in 2012. The regime for revising post-August 2012 claimants’ entitlements as part of a new Total Contribution Approach policy is due to come fully into force by early 2019.

Thursday’s witnesses include:

• Corona Joyce, senior policy officer for Age Action Ireland, and senior information officer Gerard Scully;
• Officials from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

The meeting can be viewed live here.

It also can be viewed live on Android and Apple devices using the Houses of the Oireachtas app.