Campaign to counter prejudice and bias against individuals based on their age.
'Say no to Ageism' week is an initiative to highlight discrimination against older people in the country, particularly in the workplace.
Six years ago, former civil servant John Gillen took a legal case against his employer after being denied promotion because of his age. He observed a clear pattern that saw older staff overlooked and the age profile of successful candidates for promotion steadily falling. He ultimately won his case.
Nobody over fifty had been promoted in the previous five years.
Speaking at the launch of Say No To Ageism Week, Niall Crowley, CEO of Equality, highlighted the barriers many older people face when trying to access employment or promotion, and the challenges posed by mandatory retirement requirements.
The initiative was launched by former Taoiseach Dr Garret FitzGerald, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday. He describes the idea that people should retire at 65 as nonsense and argues for greater flexibility in working life.
To coincide with Say No To Ageism Week, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Health Services Executive (HSE), and the transport sector have each launched action plans aimed at tackling age discrimination. The hope is to help change attitudes towards older people in Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 15 May 2006. The reporter is Ailbhe Connely.
