Is Retirement Really Available in 2020?

Earlier this year, beloved presenter Mary Kennedy announced her retirement from Irish Broadcaster RTE due to her age having reached 65. Now anyone who has ever met Mary Kennedy or has seen her on television knows that age is only a number when relating this to such a legend. However, even more unsettling is the fact that Mary despite being a hard working mother for four decades will seemingly be forced to continue to work out of need rather than sole want due to the network having only made her permanent in 2004. A similar action was taken with the late and great Gay Byrne so as to ensure the network always had control over their broadcasters. I find it baffling and upsetting that people who are television royalty; known and loved in every living room in the country can be treated this way.

I suppose it is not entirely surprising given that we expect retired and pension receiving people to live off often half or less than half their previous wage for the next thirty years.

Even my own mother, an accountant, which many would think she would have amassed enough savings over her working life to be able to retire comfortably is still working; somewhat out of want but also out of need because there are more and more bills being introduced each year not to mention added taxes and tariffs. Life does not get cheaper as we get older so why do we not afford our older generations who have transformed our country over the past 50 years the respect and living pensions they deserve?

I can not imagine the hurt and anger that must be felt by people who have given the best part of their lives to the workforce only to be forgotten about in the cold winter months. When even occupations you would assume had a stability and decent financial reward in do not in fact produce enough to not need to worry about money in your old age; then what are we headed for? And what plans should we be putting in place now to prevent these worries later on?

I will be attempting to find out over the coming months and will update accordingly. In the mean time; please cast your votes to keep our Lady off the Telly in the Dancing with the Stars show to support her hard work and investigative skills over the past 41 years.

Love & Light,

Liz xxx