Alliance of Age Sector NGOs

A collective voice for older people in Ireland

Third Age is a member of the Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, a collective of eight leading organisations working to improve the lives of older people in Ireland.

Bringing together expertise from across the age sector, the Alliance advocates for policies and actions that reflect the needs, experiences and contributions of older people. As Ireland’s population continues to age, the Alliance calls for a coordinated, whole-of-government approach that supports older people to live healthy, connected and fulfilling lives.

The Alliance members are Active Retirement Ireland, Age & Opportunity, ALONE, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Irish Hospice Foundation, The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, Third Age Ireland, and COPE Galway.

 

September 2026 update:

Taking Stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people?

Alliance of Age Sector NGOs call for an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People, a State led campaign to counteract ageism, and a resourced national action plan to address loneliness and social isolation. 

The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs, representing eight leading older persons organisations*, is calling on Government to appoint an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People, and to relaunch a refreshed National Positive Ageing Strategy with a strong implementation and monitoring plan and a ring-fenced budget. 

According to ‘Taking stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people?’, a review launched today by the Alliance, implementation of policy relevant to our growing older adult population continues to be patchy or inconsistent with much, it would appear, being deferred to the work of the Commission on Care for Older People and, in particular, the role of a yet to be established cross-departmental group. 

The review sets out the extensive range of policy commitments relevant to our ageing population as described in key Government publications and provides a summary of the progress made in the various areas. 

This important review: 

• Provides a ‘deep dive’ analysis of 17 thematic areas relevant to the lives of older people and an ageing population.
• Focuses in on 27 commitments made in respect of older people and rates the Government on its efforts in each of these areas.
• Illustrates how many of the commitments set out as part of the relevant policy frameworks have yet to be meaningfully advanced or benefited from coordinated implementation.
• Reinforces the rationale for the establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People.
• Our older adult population will be the fastest growing demographic of the 21st Century and must be centrally catered for as part of any ambitions and priorities of government now and in the future. 

Read the report:

Download the Taking stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people (Executive Summary)

Download the Taking stock: Is Government keeping its commitments to older people (Full Report)

 

 

October 2025 update: 

The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs is a collective of eight leading organisations working to improve the lives of older people in Ireland. Members include Active Retirement Ireland, Age & Opportunity, ALONE, COPE Galway, the Irish Hospice Foundation, the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and Third Age.

In October 2025, the Alliance launched the third report in its Telling It Like It Is series – Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025 [link to final report]. This publication draws on findings from the National End of Life Survey and other research to highlight the experiences, needs, and priorities of older people and their families as they face death and bereavement.

Read the report:

Download the Telling It Like It Is series – Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025 

Download the Telling It Like It Is series – summary document Experiences of Older People at End of Life 2025 

 

 

January 2023 update: 

The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs (AASNGO, the Alliance) launches its 2023 Report, ‘Telling It Like It Is; Combatting Ageism,’ which sets out why Ireland needs to take ageism seriously and take meaningful action to counteract it. The report highlights the nature and impact of ageism in Ireland and offers several evidence-informed strategies to reduce it. The report includes nine actions that, when implemented, will reduce the stigma and ill effects associated with ageing. The most pressing of these actions is the appointment of an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People – similar to that in Northern Ireland and Wales.

Read the report:

Download the 'Telling It Like It Is; Combatting Ageism' report (January 2023) [pdf, 7MB]

Download the 'Telling it Like It Is; Combatting Ageism' executive summary (January2023) [pdf, 5MB]

 

The Alliance of Age Sector NGOs (AASNGO, the Alliance) is a collective of seven important NGOs working in the age sector, including The Alzheimer Society of Ireland. The Alliance aims to effect positive change for older people by uniting our learning from working with the diversity of older people and the issues that they face.

The member organisations include: Active Retirement Ireland, Age & Opportunity, ALONE, COPE Galway, Irish Hospice Foundation, Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, and Third Age.