Monday 4 April 2011

The very first County Tyrone Pensioners Parliament, as part of the Northern Ireland Pensioners Parliament, took place in Strule Arts Centre in Omagh on Friday with over 60 older people from across the county in attendance.  The event, which was opened by Chairman of Omagh District Council, Councillor Declan McAleer, was the fourth of seven ‘local parliaments’ organised across Northern Ireland. 

Issues such as funding for regional hospitals, the rising cost of heating fuel and petrol and the lack of good rural transport options were raised by the vocal group of older people during the day's proceedings.

Organised by Age Sector Platform, the Northern Ireland Pensioners Parliament is the first of its kind here, and aims to ensure that older people’s views from every county in Northern Ireland are represented. 

At the Tyrone parliament, older people from the county discussed and debated the issues that were of importance to them, with an expert panel on hand to provide advice and information on any complex points raised.  Issues such as health, community safety and transport were discussed; alongside worries about keeping warm in winter and having enough money for a decent quality of life.  The expert panel included Janice Vance from the Western Health and Social Care Trust, Zoe Anderson from Access to Benefits, Paddy McEldowney from EasiLift Community Transport, Sandra Armstrong from Omagh Community Safety Partnership and Inspector Dave Sherry from the PSNI .

Opening the event, Councillor McAleer, said: “I was delighted to be invited to open proceedings today and I commend Age Sector Platform for organising this event.  I truly believe today will help ensure the voice of older people in County Tyrone is heard.”
 
Paddy Joe McClean from Beragh who is a member of Age Sector Platform commented:  “This event has marked the beginning of a unique process.  Instead of telling pensioners what they should be worried about, we are actively encouraging them to tell us about the problems they face.  This truly is a ‘bottom up’ approach.  Today’s audience interaction, through debate and voting, has been a real triumph and we hope the remaining local parliaments will be as successful as the County Tyrone parliament.”

For more information on the Northern Ireland Pensioners Parliament, please visit www.pensionersparliament.org or phone 028 9031 2089.

To view photographs from the County Tyrone Pensioners Parliament click HERE