Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for taking this Topical Issue and allowing us to express our concerns about the senior alert scheme. Post-budget there was much controversy and discussion, which one would expect, but there was also a good deal of misinformation and scare-mongering, for whatever reasons. Part of it surrounds the removal of the telephone allowance. I have come into the House to raise my genuine concerns about the senior alert scheme because it is a very successful scheme funded by the Minister's Department. I note the funding increased last year, which means that many proactive community and voluntary groups throughout the country are utilising this scheme to help the elderly and the vulnerable people in our society who may be isolated. It offers grant aid towards monitored alarms and the security pendants elderly people wear.

I refer to the information regarding the removal of the telephone allowance of €9.50 per month. I do not welcome the removal of the allowance but I welcome that a number of companies have since dropped their prices for the use of the telephone line to take account of that allowance being taken from older people.

Two weeks ago I was in the house of an elderly man who lives alone in County Waterford who had a telephone bill of over €100 per month, which I could not believe. When I examined the bill I could see that he was still paying his bills using the old direct billing method, which is for every call he made. Public representatives and voluntary and community groups would do a better job if we informed elderly people throughout the country that telephone companies now offer packages which allow the person to have unlimited phone calls for €30 to €40 per month. The telephone companies are in direct competition with each other and all of these packages are readily available to the public on the callcosts website. Elderly people should take advantage of that because it will reduce the cost of their calls.

I raise this issue because I want the Minister to allay any fears about it. I note his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, gave a public commitment on the evening of the budget that he would find additional resources to ensure the senior alert scheme will continue. We must reassure people, and the voluntary and community groups which operate this scheme, that it will continue.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I merely want to impress upon the Minister the importance of the scheme, which provides great comfort and reassurance to people over the age of 65. It allows them to avail of grant aid support for a pendant alarm through their local Community Alert group. I acknowledge the importance of Community Alert throughout my constituency of Laoighis-Offaly and beyond. Communities that may not have a Community Alert group should become organised. They have the assistance of the local community, the gardaí and the local county councillor.

It is essential in the context of winter coming, isolated areas, the possible closure of Garda stations and the Garda fleet being what it is, or not being what it should be. I want to impress upon the Minister the need to ensure the funding stream continues. I acknowledge that in my county of Laois, funding increased from €24,000 in 2010 to €50,000 last year while in County Offaly, it increased from €15,000 to €87,000. As it stands, there are 19 active groups in County Laois while there are 18 in County Offaly. It is important more towns, villages, townlands and rural areas become involved and establish their own community alert scheme because it is incumbent on us, as public representatives, to ensure our senior citizens are allowed to feel comfortable, safe and secure in their homes. The text alert system is working well, as are communities, but they need the Minister's support, encouragement and money.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The seniors alert scheme aims to encourage community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons of limited means to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups, community alert, active retirement groups and so on, and it is open to people aged 65 years and over, living alone or living with another eligible person and who have a genuine need for assistance. Any community-based, voluntary, not-for-profit organisation which has a track record of working with or providing services to older people within its community can apply to be registered with my Department and to draw down grant support. The maximum grant per beneficiary for the equipment is €250 for monitored personal alarms with pendant, and €50 for an additional pendant or re-installation. Annual monitoring costs are borne by the beneficiaries.

From 2004 to date, 80,000 people have benefited from the scheme at a cost of €25.4 million. All of the grant approved personal monitored alarms up to now are connected to a landline. The Department is examining the possibility of providing grants for systems using mobile technology. It would be a matter for a community group to assure itself that a mobile technology based system provided full coverage in its area.

Preliminary inquiries indicate that the cost of monitoring a mobile solution is lower than the overall cost of monitoring a landline system when the landline rental is factored in. The mobile device costs around €160 per year to monitor while the cost of the landline solution can be around €280 per year when line rental costs are included. It should be noted that the mobile device is not normally supplied for use as a mobile telephone because additional costs are involved with such use, even though a limited number of telephone numbers can be programmed into the device for outgoing calls.

I have some good news for Deputies Coffey and Charles Flanagan in that I have been able to maintain the €2.35 million allocation for the 2014 senior alert scheme. That level of funding is sufficient to meet current demand levels for this important scheme. It would not, however, provide for grants to individuals wishing to replace existing alarms with the mobile version where a landline is being discontinued. This is a matter my Department is considering and, if feasible and there is a requirement for additional resources, I will take the matter up with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in due course.

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for reassuring us that his budget for the senior alert scheme is intact. I note he will have to go to his colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, to seek additional funds for the installation or utilisation of mobile technology. Given the progress that has been made in mobile technology, it is something on which the Minister's Department needs to focus as soon as possible. In the county and city of Waterford alone, there are 29 active, voluntary and community groups helping the elderly, the vulnerable and the isolated. I am glad the grant aid is in place to assist them but I urge the Minister to ensure agreement is reached as soon as possible to have the new system up and running and allow for a seamless transfer, where necessary. The elderly served our country well and the Government needs to be seen to support and encourage them in every way possible. I add my voice to that.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased with the Minister's reply.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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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.