Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The number of approved participants in the seniors alert scheme in 2017 in the areas in question were 276 in Sligo and 182 in Leitrim. Following the launch of a new scheme which took effect on 1 November 2017, my Department conducted a very successful nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at older people, their extended families and friends who may not have been aware of the scheme. The key features of the new scheme include a self-declaration of limited means for eligibility, a person no longer having to live alone to qualify, free monitoring of the alarm service for the first year, and an increase in administrative payments to community groups involved in rolling out the scheme.

I am pleased to say that since the launch of the new scheme, the demand has been unprecedented. Spend in 2017 amounted to almost €2.7 million, compared with €1.8 million spent in 2016. During 2017, in excess of 12,700 applications were approved and more than 10,000 installations were completed. In the first three months of 2018, in excess of 6,000 applications were approved. I encourage anyone who is interested in the seniors alert scheme to contact Pobal which operates the scheme on my Department’s behalf.

See this speech in context