John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

As I said, we provided funding for more than 6,500 individuals last year under the community supports for older people scheme. We expect a greater number to apply this year and a new scheme will be implemented shortly. One of my main concerns in regard to the scheme is that there are rural areas which are not adequately covered under it. In other words, we must actively promote the scheme in those areas and seek appropriate groups to administer it. The scheme is based not on the individual but on community groups. We must strengthen that connection between the activity of the community group and the engagement with the older person.

Deputy McGinley asked about the level of funding. I anticipate that this year's allocation will be in the region of €3 million. As I said, some 100,000 people have availed of the scheme, with more than 70,000 monitored alarms being provided. A concerted effort must be introduced in regard to recycling. Thousands of units are in the ownership of community groups, although they are in the possession of individual households, and we must work with those groups to promote recycling.

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