Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to the House and call on Senator Norris to speak on his Adjournment matter.

David Norris (Independent)
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I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to the House. I am particularly glad that he is in the Minister's chair. In the early days of my political career, I recall listening to him as a young Deputy talking passionately to a virtually empty Dáil Chamber about social conditions in his own constituency. I think it was the area around Ballymun, although I cannot remember. He knew the details of people's personal circumstances there and felt a commitment towards improving them. I thought that was the kind of politics in which I wanted to be involved. I am grateful therefore that Deputy Haughey is the Minister who is taking this Adjournment matter.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I think it was Darndale.

David Norris (Independent)
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Darndale, yes, I remember that very clearly.

In respect of this Adjournment matter, I must declare a series of interests. I have raised it because of some old friends of mine who may be known to the Minister of State, at least by reputation. I have asked their permission to mention their names. They are George Morrison and his wife Janet. George is one of our most distinguished artists in film, having made films such as "Mise Éire" and "Saoirse". Like many artists, he is not a money grubber. He has not always had huge amounts of money but he has made a comfortable and civilised home for himself in a little by-way near Shankill. However, a short time ago he suffered a bad stroke, which incapacitated him to some degree. It means that he cannot drive a car and neither can his wife who has also been unwell. They would have been in difficulty has it not been for a group called Choices, which was founded by the sister-in-law of a lady with whom I was in college. There are therefore all kinds of connections here and Choices is run by a remarkable group of people.

In case I overstay my time, I want to frontload the demand now. We are seeking funding amounting to €30,000 in order to put the existing driver in the scheme on a full-time basis. The current driver has been with them for three years. The idea of the scheme is that people who are incapacitated make use of the befriending service and its driver in order to take them to the post office, chiropodist, chiropractor, the chemist to collect prescriptions or the library to exchange books. Without such a service, elderly people would be isolated, lonely and deprived.

This unique service has been running for 18 years and is largely dependent on community employment schemes. As the Minister of State knows, however, these schemes terminate after three years. The current driver is coming to the end of his period. He is known and loved by the clients. It is so often necessary to ensure that elderly, dependent people know and trust the person who is dealing with them. The driver is reliable, trustworthy and responsible. The service provided to these people is totally free of charge. In addition, State agencies already rely on this service and, in turn, refer people to it. Although the State is making use of it, the service receives no core funding whatever. There are minor fundraising events such as cake sales, and the service occasionally receives grants from charitable endowments. Over the last five years, the transport service has been funded by people in need. They must pay for diesel, maintain the people carrier and they now want core funding to keep the enterprise going.

The service started 15 years ago. In 1989, there was an RTE programme on the problems of isolation facing elderly people and the pressures placed on them by society. As a result, a sister-in-law of a friend of mine decided to get something done, distributed leaflets to local shopping centres and areas of housing where older people lived and was amazed at the overwhelmingly positive response.

The people involved indicated their priorities and of utmost importance was addressing the issue of loneliness. A lack of day-to-day company and social contact left elderly people feeling isolated. Transport was also an issue and the problems of getting to and from the doctor, post office, chiropodist, shops and the outpatients area of hospital were mentioned. Such a service is not only a practical necessity, it also provides a social outlet that relieves depression, lets elderly people meet others and even argue. The service also helps in the collection of pensions and prescriptions.

After the initial phase, the befriending the elderly service began. The group wisely and sensitively decided not to go into competition with existing local parish services such as those provided by St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church in Crinken. Instead of walking roughshod all over such services, they negotiated and sought to find out how they could complement them.

Many long-established clients rely on the service and it would be a great pity if they were to be deprived of it. As I indicated, the value of the service is evident in the fact that the group receives some support, albeit sporadic, from groups such as the FÁS community employment schemes, the County Dublin Vocational Educational Committee and so on. At the moment, more than 40 clients are on the befriending list, and without the support of Choices Local Enterprises and the befrienders, they would have no way of accessing the kind of services and community facilities they can with this team. The clients have been enabled to maintain their ability to live independently and we have often heard in this House of the value of independent living to people in wheelchairs and people with intellectual disabilities.

The group provides a service for people who are isolated, elderly, victims of stroke and debilitating illnesses and so on, with no cost to the client. There is support from community employment schemes but such schemes terminate after three years. The seven seater bus used for clients was paid for through funding from People in Need but everything else was paid for through fundraising.

However, the group is on a very tight budget, as is clear in the pathetic funding scheme I have in my possession. The Christmas raffle raised €596 and clients' donations raised €45: the widow's mite. Car cleaning is listed here as earning €247.41, so some volunteers must have performed a bob-a-job style fundraiser like the scouts. I do not know what the Catherine Howard Foundation is but it is obviously a charitable group and it provided €1,500. A printing and secretarial service came to €257 and the group ran a bingo night that came to almost €1,000. Expenses included petrol, bingo shopping, van maintenance and a Christmas party for clients that cost less than €500. Who could possibly begrudge them that little bit of fun and entertainment? I know the Minister of State would not.

After all this, Choices Local Enterprises ended up €18.08 in the red. I believe the Minister of State will understand what a significant function is played by this admirable group and I hope he will indicate a method whereby the State can assist in ensuring the service continues.

It is remarkable that an artist of the calibre and standing of George Morrison, who has given so much service to this State, should have found it necessary to approach me regarding this issue. He said he and Janet were in difficult circumstances and could not have survived without this group. If this service is not continued, 40 clients will go without and a number may then need to be taken into State-funded care facilities. Although it may be unwarranted, many elderly people are terrified at going into such facilities involuntarily owing to recent publicity on television programmes. Such a scenario would also cause a significant charge to the State so it would be both a good day's work and a good investment to find a way to provide some assistance to this wonderful group.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will be taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, and I thank Senator Norris for raising this issue. It provides me with an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to services for older people and explain the current position regarding funding for Choices Local Enterprises.

The development of services for older people is a priority for this Government. This is reflected in the funding committed to services for older people in the budgets of 2006 and 2007. Last year, the Government funded the largest ever expansion in services for older people with a full-year cost of €150 million, and this year, a full-year package of €255 million has been allocated for services for older people. This gives a total of more than €400 million added to services for older people over two years.

Government policy on older people is to support them to live in dignity and independence in their homes and communities for as long as possible and, where this is not possible, to support access to quality long-term residential care. This policy approach is renewed and developed in the latest partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

As the Senator is aware, the Health Act 2004 gave the Health Service Executive, HSE, responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. As a corporate body, the provision of these services, including the delivery of services by agreement with voluntary and community organisations, is a matter for the HSE.

Funding for health services has been provided as part of the HSE's overall Vote for health and personal social services in 2007. The allocation of resources is a matter for the HSE in accordance with the overall priorities for specific services as set out in its service plan. The HSE is more than happy to meet Choices Local Enterprises to discuss the services it provides and it has advised that two appointments were made for this discussion but, unfortunately, on both occasions these meetings were cancelled. However, renewed efforts are being made to organise a meeting that is convenient to the organisation.

I understand that Choices Local Enterprises is also considering applying to the HSE for lottery funding. It is aware that its application should be submitted by Friday, 16 March 2007.

The Department of Health and Children also provides funding to voluntary organisations under a national lottery funded grant scheme. This funding is discretionary, and if Choices Local Enterprises wishes to make an application for funding, it should contact the finance unit of the Department of Health and Children.

A meeting will be arranged with the HSE and there are possible sources of funding for the group, including lottery funding from the HSE and the Department of Health and Children. I again thank the Senator for raising this matter and hope it can be resolved.

David Norris (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply and was not aware of the cancelled meetings nor the reasons for the cancellations. I will encourage the group to take up this opportunity for a meeting and will suggest it makes applications, which should include this debate from the Official Report of the House, to both sources. This will be intended as an encouragement to State agencies to assist in this valiant enterprise.