Assembly approval to Commissioner for Older People

Plans to appoint a Commissioner for Older People received the seal of approval today as it passed its final stage in the Northern Ireland Assembly. 

The Commissioner for Older People Bill has been extensively reviewed by the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM).  Following the Committee’s work on the Bill during the Committee Stage the Department for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister suggested a number of amendments which the Committee supported.

Committee Chairperson, Tom Elliott, MLA said: “The appointment of a Commissioner for Older People will be of great significance.  The Committee has taken much interest in this Bill and is pleased to see the Bill receive the support of the Assembly.

“The Committee took evidence from many different interested groups and gave a lot of consideration to what roles and powers the Commissioner should have.  The Committee is content that the Commissioner will have the appropriate powers to be able to help tackle the many issues facing older people today.”

Help the Aged in Northern Ireland, which ran the Campaign for an Effective Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland, is an Atlantic grantee.

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