Pensioners Parliament meets candidates

Pat Catney (SDLP), Trevor Lunn (Alliance), Robbie Butler (UUP) and Edwin Poots (DUP) were on the panel and faced questions from the audience.

Speaking after the event Mr Catney said: “I was delighted to accept Age Sector Platform’s invitation to take part in the Pensioners Parliament. We received a very warm welcome and I hope everyone found it rewarding.

“Primary and Domiciliary care was a big topic for people. We in the SDLP recognise that health systems which focus on primary care services achieve better health outcomes, with higher rates of patient satisfaction at a lower cost.

“In terms of domiciliary care our ageing population means we have a higher demand for homecare services. We need to meet these demands and ensure that adequate funding is available to support the needs of older and disabled people in their own home.

“Thanks again to Age Sector Platform for hosting this wonderful event, I hope to be invited back again in the future.”