The ‘Celtic Tiger’ did little to improve the lot of pensioners relative to most other people living in the Republic of Ireland, while in Northern Ireland, social care services for senior citizens remain under-funded and hard to access, according to research published in a new book by University of Ulster researcher Dr Nick Acheson.

‘Social Policy, Ageing and Voluntary Action’ by Dr Acheson and Brian Harvey throws important light on how voluntary action among older people has developed in Ireland, North and South. It also helps explain the spectacle of mass demonstrations by pensioners, which forced the Irish government to change its budget policy.

The book charts strong similarities in developments on both sides of the Border and suggests that while voluntary action among and on behalf of old people is socially pervasive, until recently it has been politically weak.

But  according to Dr Acheson, this may be about to change.

“Grey power may be a force to be reckoned with in the future as the population ages in both parts of Ireland. Until now the odds have been stacked against older people, but the impressive numbers involved in local pensioner groups are set to become a constant thorn in the side of politicians as debate heats up about pensions and health care. The recent demonstration in Dublin in October was a shot across the bows.”

He continues: “The scope and range of voluntary action among older people on both sides of the border are impressive. The odds are clearly stacked against them in the political system but the right issue, combined with the crisis in public finances, provided an opportunity for effective political action and the large numbers involved in pensioners’ groups made it easy to mobilize.”   

The research, which was funded through the Royal Irish Academy, provides a unique comparative vantage point from which to examine voluntary action in the type of welfare state that exists in both parts of Ireland.

“In both cases, many thousands of pensioners participate in local pensioners’ groups but these have been largely focused on local and personal concerns. Despite this widespread activism, we found that older people were relatively worse off at the end of the ‘Celtic Tiger’ years than they were a decade earlier. In Northern Ireland social care services remain under-funded and hard to access.”

Dr Nick Acheson is lecturer in social policy in the School of Policy Studies and a member of the Social and Policy Research Institute.  His co-author, Brian Harvey is a Dublin-based freelance social researcher.  

Notes to editors

‘Social Policy, Ageing and Voluntary Action’ by Dr Acheson and Brian Harvey will be launched on Monday November 24 2008 5 pm at the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street, Dublin.

For further information, please contact:

David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young