Innovation: Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament

Ireland

AAI Domain: Participation in society (political participation, voluntary activity)

Following in the footsteps of the meeting of European Parliament’s first Senior Citizens’ Parliament in Luxembourg in 1993, Irish delegates set up the Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament in 1994 to provide a stronger voice for older people. The Parliament is a non-party political and non-sectarian voluntary organisation that now has approximately 400 affiliated organisations from across Ireland with a total membership approaching 100,000 people. The Senior Citizens’ Parliament represents the interests of older people by lobbying the government, works to improve the quality of life of older people and to promote inter-generational solidarity.

All affiliated organisations can nominate three delegates to attend meetings of the Parliament and debate policy positions on a range of issues that are important to the lives of older people such as health, transport, housing and social care.

The Senior Citizens’ Parliament has developed a Charter of Rights for older people that includes the right

• to live an independent, active and full life free from discrimination

• to an adequate pension to ensure a decent standard of living

• to adequate housing

• to health and long-term care services

• to be active participants in political processes.

The Parliament has received more than $1 million of funding from Atlantic Philanthropies, an American charitable foundation with strong links to Ireland, as part of their programme of grants. The Parliament has played a key role in mobilising older people in political activity and protests, especially in the period after the 2008 financial crisis, and continues to play an active role on the Irish political scene

In relation to active ageing, the Parliament is primarily concerned with increasing the level of political participation among older people. The work that it does provides opportunities for voluntary activities for older people and it aims to promote inter-generational solidarity through action with people of all ages.

Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament website