Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach arís. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Perry for coming to the House to take this Adjournment matter. I am sure he is doing so on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter.

Many will be aware of the distressing case in Mullach in County Clare in which an elderly farmer was robbed in his own house on multiple occasions. On the second occasion, he became so fearful of staying in his house that he opted to cycle eight hours into Ennis and check himself into St. Joseph's nursing home and has not returned to his home since.

I realise as much as anybody else that it is completely impractical to have a member of An Garda Síochána at every crossroads and protecting every old person, given the sparse nature of the rural population. There were elderly persons living for many generations in practically every part of rural Ireland. There are significant rural areas in the Minister of State's constituency and he will appreciate exactly where I am coming from in the case I am about to make.

For many years, thousands of volunteers throughout this country have engaged in Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch schemes, and the Government has made resources available over many years to provide mobile alarm systems and panic buttons to the elderly. This all is welcome. The U-turn that the Government made following the budget, in which it had reduced by 50% the €1.2 million being made available for panic buttons, was welcome, but we need to have a debate on policing and advising the elderly on being security-conscious. I believe we should consider increasing the remit of the Garda Reserve to include making the elderly more security-conscious. The Garda Reserve is doing fantastic work as it is, but there is a role for it in supporting the community volunteers throughout Ireland who are endeavouring to make the elderly feel safe in their homes. Every elderly person - indeed, every person - would consider their home their castle, but it is not their castle if they do not feel safe.

We as a Government have scarce resources, and we are trying to channel them as best we can. With that in mind, I believe that the Garda Reserve could have a significant role to play in making the elderly feel safe in their homes. I want to see a dedicated programme within the Garda Reserve in terms of education and awareness and facilitating and supporting the community volunteers who engage in helping the elderly feel secure in their homes.

We have a responsibility to the generations who have made this country what it is. What happened in west Clare is a disgrace. What happened in Donegal late last year is also a disgrace. We will not be able to put gardaí in every corner, and the Garda Commissioner is doing his best with the limited resources he has in the new economic reality. Therefore, we need to have a debate on the Garda Reserve to see how best we can utilise its resources in areas where they are needed most. Advising the elderly on how to be safe in their homes is an area that warrants greater activity within the Garda Reserve.