Mr. Seamus Sherlock:

As I said, we hold meetings regularly in rural areas. The Deputy is correct that the older generation is shy about talking about iPhones and suchlike but we encourage them all we can. We have meetings in every county and we encourage people to bring those who are more vulnerable, for example, those living in a more remote area. We go to a lot of marts where cattle are being sold. Most members of the ICSA are at markets every week. We pinpoint who the vulnerable people are, but at the end of the day we are a farm organisation.

We know many gardaí in rural areas and they do a tremendous job. They probably work many hours that they do not get paid for because they stay going to follow up on something. I compliment the gardaí on the ground, but there are not enough of them and they do not have sufficient resources. We encourage every rural dweller to have their neighbours' numbers on their phone. At the end of day one's neighbours will get there faster in 99% of cases than the Garda. Two people standing together are better than somebody vulnerable locked in a house. From talking to old people we have worked with, they are very happy and they can sleep at night.