Cuts in Home Helps and other community support measures will ultimately cost Exchequer and Health Services more in elder care

Aged 68, still working and paying tax. Parents of an emigrant, who cannot afford to support us should our health fail. Please do not condemn us to live and die amongst strangers, but allow us to live out my last years in the home we have paid for by the sweat of our brow.

To cut support service to Older people is a false economy! Help them help themselves. Living independently gives dignity to the third age and saves euros in the long term.

Please support older people by giving them support to stay in their homes. This will save a considerable amount of money for the government and provide jobs for care workers which in turn will provide transfer of payments in taxes for the unemployed.

Dear Taoiseach, I write to concernong older peoples rights and their dignity. Thus,I earnestly request you to honour your promises in order to allow the elderly citizens within our state to retire with dignity and without fear.

Times are not good we know and younger people will bear the brunt of this generation's excesses for many years to come. Older people have not encouraged these excesses and should not now be asked to suffer cut-backs which will severely affect their quality of life by denying them the right to remain at home during their twilight years. Have a heart!

Who wants to end their days in an institution.

I am a Senior Citizen, disabled but still active. I do not qualify for a Medical Card. Therefore, it is essential that, as I become less able, I will be able to stay in my home THUS SAVING THE HOSPITAL SERVICES CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE.

Please ensure current benefits that older people enjoy are maintained in the budget.

Eighty one years old, living alone. Part handicapped. Can not get a Home Help. Friends and Family (niece) very good and kind, lucky to have them. Politicians not interested in people like me.

We have already made our financial contributions through our various taxes over the years, and we continue to make our societal contributions to our fellow citizens in so far as we can.

You will be old yourself someday, Enda and you don't know the circumstances you may find yourself in. For the majority of older people their dread is not to be able to stay at home with proper care and support. The state owes it to its elder citizens to give us this reassurance.

I'm not relying on them yet but I might be some day. I believe they are the last things that should be cut in this budget and signing this petition onon behalf of elderly relatives and friends.

The HSE Service being provided to assist the aged is a joke. Last Friday we called to Limekiln Lane Unit at aroung 10am - District Nurse due in. Other person spoke to us and listened to our plight re our elderly relative and promised to discuss it with District nurse and they would ring us that evening. We gave them 2 mobile phone numbers. Of course you have guessed it - not a phone call from thme and it is now Wednesday ie 5 days later. Why is this type of behaviour tolerated in the HSE as an employer? In my opinion it is a disgrace.

The elderly have served our country well in the past - the State should now look after them into the future.Ireland is not in a good place right now but the elderly did not cause this debacle!