A chara, - It is, perhaps, not well known that Matt Merrigan's commitment to the well-being of potentially marginalised people continued after his retirement in 1986. At that time he became involved with equality issues concerning ageing and older people. First, he became a board member of Age & Opportunity on the inception of the agency in 1988. He remained a very active board member and supporter right up to the time of his death. His strong belief in the equality of all people, and his commitment to fight discrimination on grounds of age, have been a major influence on Age & Opportunity's work.
Also since retiring, he remained active in the trade union movement and was instrumental in having a motion passed setting up ICTU's retired workers' committee. He served as the first chairperson of this committee in 1991.
This led to the setting up by Age & Opportunity of Age Alliance (one of the first groupings of older people's organisations campaigning on issues such as incomes, health and transport) and eventually to the establishment of the Irish Senior Citizens' Parliament, now the largest membership organisation of older people in Ireland representing around 200 organisations. Matt was serving as a trustee of the seniors' parliament at the time of his death.
Both staff and board members of Age & Opportunity are feeling the loss of Matt Merrigan today. The aspect of his life's work with which we were privileged to be involved - his work on behalf of older people - is not well known, but it should not be overlooked. The greatest tribute that could be made to Matt Merrigan in coming years would be that older people, especially those who are at risk of poverty and exclusion, would attain full citizenship and equal rights to participate in all aspects of Irish society. - Yours, etc.,
Catherine Rose, Chief Executive, Age & Opportunity, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.