Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Senator has a great concern about rural issues. I am glad to receive his acknowledgment. We brought in a few new schemes in the Department, for Tidy Towns, the shows, the men's sheds, all organisations that deal with the problems the Senator is talking about, namely, rural and urban isolation. He is quite correct. I want to see this scheme rolled out. We did put a fair bit of money into the scheme, but we also put a bit of money into making sure that we advertised that scheme. I did the local newspapers, the local radio stations, the national media and we put out a tender for the groups to apply. I am delighted the community groups are out there actively promoting this scheme.

I will finish with this very positive example. This is not a lie. I met a woman last week who fell in her home. She was in a very serious condition and but that she pressed that pendant she would not be here today. She spent five days in hospital and she is home again. The pendant and the senior alert scheme saved her life. She just happened to mention it to me. She did not know that I had responsibility for the scheme but she had the pendant on her wrist. I encourage more people to take up that scheme because it does give them peace of mind.