The kit man behind the legendary Italia 90 Ireland team has slammed the Government for imposing means testing on elderly people seeking the blind pension.
Charlie O'Leary, who celebrated his 99th birthday today, has been struggling with his vision recently. Every six weeks he has been getting injections into his right eye to improve his vision, and he can barely see out of his left eye anymore.
He told Joe Duffy on RTE's Liveline: "I have difficulty reading and identifying faces. If I met an individual out and I met him an hour after I would hardly recognise him."
Read more: Woman says she wants to 'get out of Dublin' after rushing to aid stab victim
A few years ago, Charlie was in the National Council for Blind's Dublin office and a young woman asked if he had gotten his eyes tested. He said: "She gave me the eye test and she said, 'you know you are entitled to small pension'. I said I didn't know that.
"She gave me all the particulars and I followed them. Since then, I have been getting €67 a week. The other day, I got a letter - a big lengthy thing - and quite clearly written across the top it said means test."
Charlie said the test was very through. He quipped: "The only thing they didn't ask me was, 'how much did I get to make my holy communion'. That was the only question they left out."
The legendary kit man said he copes well with the injections due to some sound advice he got from a nurse. She told him to relax and inhale as you see the needle approaching and then exhale.
Charlie told Joe the advice was "more than helpful" and that he doesn't take painkillers afterwards because he "tries to avoid all that". Charlie also touched on his life as a whole, remembering how he grew up in East Wall and going to a cinema that had no roof after it was bombed by the German's in World War 2.
His most memorable moment in his long life so far was seeing Ray Houghton put the ball in the back of the English net in 1988. It was such an emotional moment, Charlie said he saw "grown men cry".
Read next:
Conor McGregor 'hit by a car while cycling - then got a lift home with driver'
Dee Devlin shows support for Conor McGregor after Spain attack claim
Barry Keoghan leaves touching message for 'little Barry' after Oscar nomination
Damien Dempsey holds back tears on Tommy Tiernan as fans gush support
To get the latest news to your inbox, sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter.
