The Department of Social and Family Affairs is contacting 8,000 pensioners abroad to ensure they are still alive, the Irish Times reports today. There are 35,000 people living outside of Ireland who receive the contributory pension, according to the paper; the contributory pension is made to eligible people 66 or over who have paid social… Continue reading State checking on pensioners abroad
Category: elderly
Free travel a no-go, says Minister
Extending free public transport to elderly emigrant visitors to Ireland is not currently possible, according to Social and Family Affairs Minister Martin Cullen. The Irish Independent has reported that the Minister said that despite a Government pledge to work toward free travel for emigrant pensioners, the minister said: “Legal advice indicates that it would not… Continue reading Free travel a no-go, says Minister
Tradition informs work of Chicago emigrant
A heartwarming tale about an Irish immigrant in Chicago: Paddy Homan, a 32-year-old Cork-born tenor, uses his musical talents to cheer the elderly and disabled clients he visits in his day job as a social worker. “We all love him”, says 91-year-old Lilly Allen in the report, by Judith Graham in a recent issue of… Continue reading Tradition informs work of Chicago emigrant
New moves on free travel for older emigrants?
Older emigrants living in Britain may soon be getting access to free travel in Ireland, according to a report in the Irish Post. The newspaper reports that leading politicians have promised that the issue is being prioritised to be addressed when the Irish Government reconvenes after the summer holidays. Emigrant advocates have been campaigning on… Continue reading New moves on free travel for older emigrants?
Tipp man to become Tube’s most familiar face
A man who emigrated from Tipperary in 1962 will have his portrait on the cover of the London Tube map. John Hough left his home near Borrisokane at the age of 19, in response to an ad from London Transport. He took up work with the company and has been there ever since; he worked… Continue reading Tipp man to become Tube’s most familiar face
Columnist laments returnees’ plight
The Irish Independent’s article on Vincent Lavery, the 71-year-old returned emigrant who has had difficulty finding a job and accessing social welfare benefits, has prompted an article by a columnist lamenting the difficulties of return. Martina Devlin says that she, too, is a returned emigrant, having left for college in England in the 1980s and… Continue reading Columnist laments returnees’ plight