Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

As it turns out, I was in Athlone last Friday and met representatives of Helplink South, which installs and monitors alarms for many people in the midlands. Among the people I met were people from Deputy Wall's county who said they were very happy to have a personal pendant alarm that did not draw attention to the fact they were elderly or living on their own. I asked their views on traditional alarms and they replied they were happier with pendant alarms because, in many cases, house alarms can be very complicated to operate. Those of us with house alarms probably ask ourselves whether we can remember the code. The system in place has been found to be trustworthy. It gives assurance to older people and, most important, they are satisfied with it.

With regard to rural areas, the new scheme will have a greater reach than its predecessor. We certainly will be able to roll it out on a more streamlined basis once the initial registration takes place. It will be very seamless.

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