Thursday 25 December 2014  Grey brigade bearing the brunt of
austerity  Published 18/10/2013 | 05:00  Taoiseach Enda Kenny:
budget 'will make life difficult for the elderly'  * As head of
our local community watch, I find the cut to the phone allowance
a regressive step. It will surprise no one that this Government
is going the extra mile in making life difficult for the most
vulnerable, and you will not get more vulnerable than elderly
people living alone, with the constant fear and threat of
assault and robbery.  The problem lies in the lack of garda
manpower and closure of rural garda stations that gives ruthless
thugs a free rein to intimidate and frighten old people to an
early grave. The elderly have been allotted an unfair share of
these austerity measures. From short-changing on pensions to
taxing savings. All the stops have been pulled out, making it
more difficult to become eligible for a carer or home help. The
abolition of the bereavement grant is a real low blow. The law
was changed recently to a