Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I sincerely thank Senator Mooney for raising this matter. The scheme of community support for older people, CSOP, has been a valuable one since it was established ten years ago. In that time, funding in the region of €35 million has been awarded to community and voluntary organisations to provide socially monitored alarms and other security items to older people in their communities. The scheme has benefited as many as 100,000 older people as a result.

The scheme continues to be based on the concept of contact with people at local level. For this reason, funding is provided to locally-based voluntary and community organisations rather than grant-aiding individuals. This is to assist and stimulate broader community support for vulnerable older people. Currently, funding can be provided under the scheme as follows: As Senator Mooney alluded, €300 in respect of the once-off cost of installing a socially monitored alarm system, €200 in respect of window locks, door locks and door chains designed to strengthen points of entry to the dwelling, €200 in respect of security lighting, €50 in respect smoke alarms and €150 for interior emergency lighting for qualifying older people living on our offshore islands.

On Senator Mooney's question on the initiation of a review of the scheme, I can confirm that a review was carried out by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs earlier this year, ahead of the launch of the 2006 scheme. Officials of the Department met in February last with a range of representatives of voluntary groups who participate in the administration of the scheme. This consultation covered a number of issues concerning the scheme that had previously been raised by groups and by Oireachtas Members, as well as a review of the scheme by Comhairle, which also made a number of recommendations.

This consultation proved valuable and, as a result, a number of important changes were introduced for the 2006 scheme. These changes included certain increases in funding such as the maximum individual grant in respect of physical security equipment was increased to €200 and the maximum individual grant in respect of security lighting was also increased to €200. Also from 2006, the grant of €150 for interior emergency lighting for qualifying older people living on our offshore islands was introduced. I should also point out that the grant for smoke alarms was introduced from 2004, in response to suggestions from many community groups.

In addition, the 2006 scheme was launched in May by the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Noel Ahern, for whom I am taking this debate, and saw the introduction for the first time of an administration subvention to participating groups. The amount of this subvention is based on the size of a group's 2005 grant, with a maximum amount of €600 and a minimum amount of €100. This subvention recognises the leading role such community groups play in the administration of this scheme, in partnership with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, has gone on record to express his admiration for those who give their time to deliver the benefits of this scheme to their communities and has commended them for their hard work and dedication.

Another very significant recent change was to have the 2006 scheme open for applications throughout the year. Up until 2005, the scheme was advertised on an annual basis with a specified closing date. This change had been strongly supported in the review process the Department had conducted and since its introduction, it has been extremely well received by the community groups operating the scheme. It reduces the time pressures under which such groups previously had to respond to the call for applications. It also allows participating groups to make supplementary applications throughout the year so as to assist vulnerable older people in their communities where a need has arisen at any given time. So far under the 2006 scheme, funding has been provided to voluntary groups to assist 4,753 older people in their communities, which has included the provision of some 4,109 socially-monitored alarms and a range of security equipment.

As regards the age threshold issue, which was raised by Senator Mooney, the scheme of community support for older people is a community-based scheme directed at older people. The question of providing socially-monitored alarms or other security-related equipment to people with illnesses or disabilities, for example, is a health-related issue and would be more appropriately addressed to the Minister for Health and Children or the Health Service Executive.

Management of the scheme of community support for older people has been marked in recent times by flexibility and by consultation with community interests. As with any funding scheme, it is prudent continually to monitor relevant developments. In this regard, it is clear there has been some reduction in the demand for the CSOP scheme in recent years. The number of individuals being assisted under the scheme has been also dropping. In 2003, up to 9,000 older people were assisted, whereas this year's number will be closer to 5,000. The Department attributes this reduced demand to several factors. The scheme is demand driven and it may be a measure of its success that a gradual fall-off in demand has been experienced as more people have their security needs met.

Another factor in the changing requirements of older people in our communities vis-À-vis security is the increasing use of mobile telephones. As the House will be aware, the Minister changed this provision in yesterday's budget whereby people will now have the option of claiming free telephone rental assistance for either mobile or landline telephones. That presents a new opportunity for older people. Older people, along with their families, may see mobile telephones as their preferred response to any security concerns. Whereas mobile telephones and other new technologies present opportunities, the socially-monitored alarms provided under the CSOP have an ease of operation that will continue to appeal to many older people and provide a good level of reassurance in this regard. The CSOP also provides for a range of other physical security measures which will continue to be of interest to many older members of our society. Personal security depends on a range of factors and the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, believes this scheme continues to make a valuable contribution to the security requirements of older people. The Minister of State will continue to monitor developments that affect the scheme and, in consultation with stakeholders, will continue to make adjustments where appropriate.

I thank Senator Mooney for raising this issue on the Adjournment. It bodes well for our democracy that a local councillor can articulate a problem to his or her area thus ensuring the matter can be debated in the Oireachtas where the Government of the day can be asked to account for any aspect of any situation concerning issues that are so raised. In view of the interest shown in this issue by Senator Mooney and Councillor Gilmartin, I assure them I will take up the matter directly with the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern. Consequently, we will see if it is possible to have a greater linkage between his Department and the Department of Health and Children to ensure requirements for people with disabilities or other illnesses will be provided either on a unilateral or interdepartmental basis.