Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies. There is an appreciation of this scheme on both sides of the House. It is a community-based initiative which promotes independent living for older people, and I am a very strong supporter of that. Under the scheme to date, grants have only been provided for landline solutions. Mobile solutions, which are being examined by the Department, have additional advantages and benefits, as Deputy Coffey said, and they can be used in the same way so that the user can seek assistance at the touch of a button. We are anxious to continue the scheme.

The current scheme does not go out of existence until 1 January, so we have a number of weeks in which we hope to be in a position to reassure the elderly, in particular those in isolated areas, that they will have the protection of, confidence in and comfort of having a telephone to get in touch with people in case of emergency.

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