PENSIONERS will soon be able to bring a family or friend on public transport with them for free under a new Budget 2025 plan.
The ‘Universal Companion Pass’ is being introduced by Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys.
As it stands, people over 70 can apply for a companion pass provided they pass a medical assessment.
But Humphreys appears to have made the pass universal, with sources saying the aim is to help keep elderly people active.
And the hopes are that the move will tackle the issues of loneliness and isolation among those aged 70 and over.
Separately, a charity aimed at helping older people age at home called for a number of measures in their pre-budget submission.
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ALONE called on the government to include a €1,232 social welfare boost and an €18 pension increase in Budget 2025, which will be announced today.
They hoped that these measures would ease the cost of living for elderly people, by including significant social welfare increases, renaming a key payment, and streamlining the age of eligibility.
An increase of €12 was expected to be announced by Finance Minister Jack Chambers and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal O’Donohoe.
It will be part of an almost €2 million cost of living package.
But, ALONE’s Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, Gráinne Loughran said the increase of €12 “may not make enough of a difference”.
She told The Irish Sun: “What we’re seeing really is older people continuing to struggle with the cost of living.
“People who are struggling to pay their energy bills, to keep the heating on.
“And were it not for the once-off cost of living payments last year, there would have been a significant increase in poverty among older people.
“Deprivation rates among older people living alone have gone from three per cent in 2015 to 20 per cent in 2023.
“So we’re really seeing that cost of living impact coming down on older people across the country.
“We had called for Government to live up to commitments they made to benchmark the pension.
“But this unfortunately is not like it’s going ahead.”
She added: “If the pension was bench-marked as Government originally committed to, it would actually need an increase in the pension of about €36. So we had suggested that this be implemented over a period of two years, beginning with an €18 increase this year.
“It’s really heating and eating are the two biggest costs and worries in terms of costs that older people are having.
“And €12 may not make enough of a difference.”