Claire Sugden MLA, Chair of the All Party Group on Ageing and Older People, has successfully tabled a motion in the Assembly calling for strategic planning on the ageing population. This is an iniative that we both welcome and support.
The exact wording of the motion is:
‘That this Assembly recognises our ageing population and the challenges and opportunities this presents for public services; acknowledges the vital contributions of older people while recognising the pressures on healthcare, social care, housing, transport, and the economy; notes that failure to plan strategically will place unsustainable strain on public services, exacerbate inequalities, and impact the wider population; calls on the Executive to develop a cross-departmental strategy to ensure services are adapted and resourced to meet the needs of an ageing society; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to embed ageing population planning in the final Programme for Government 2024-2027, to ensure long term sustainability and resilience in public services.‘
The motion will be debated on Tuesday 25th Feb just after 11:00am. It may last for up to 90 minutes at which point the Assembly will vote.
