Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister. The senior alert scheme aims to support older individuals living securely and independently within their communities by providing free, personal monitored alarms. These alarms offer reassurance and immediate assistance in emergencies, enhancing the confidence and peace of mind of the elderly population. While the senior alert scheme has been instrumental in promoting safety among older adults, the effectiveness of the personal alarms is contingent on reliable network connectivity.

Following the recent storms, I want to paint a picture of somebody who had the independence of living alone but who relied on the security of their personal alarm. They were perhaps waking up at night to find the lights and the heat out and could hear the damage being done outside. On getting up and, unfortunately, having a fall or a mishap, they went to the alarm to find there was no response to it. That situation was replicated across most of the west, where phone and mobile networks went down during that situation.

This limitation may result in alarms failing or not functioning correctly during critical moments and undermining the purpose of the scheme. With that in mind, I call on the Minister to consider the possibility of introducing multinetwork SIM cards as a standard within these personal alarms. This would enhance connectivity and the capability to ensure that personal alarms maintain functionality even in areas where single-network coverage is inadequate or should there be network issues like those that happened recently. It would increase reliability, giving peace of mind to those using the alarms, and also increase the coverage capabilities, potentially opening this up to more people.

The Department has supplied over 120,000 of these alarms to individuals in the last ten years, so it has been a resounding success, but that does not mean we should rest on our laurels. We need to adapt and learn from recent mistakes. We need to introduce something that prevents situations where these alarms do not work. To ensure the continued effectiveness and reliability of the seniors alert scheme, it is imperative to adopt multinetwork SIM cards as a standard component of the personal alarms provided. This integration will address current connectivity challenges, offering older people greater security and confidence in their ability to access emergency assistance when needed. By embracing this enhancement, the seniors alert scheme can better fulfil its mission to support older individuals to live securely in their homes, thereby promoting independence and well-being within our ageing population.

I compliment all of the community groups that are registered with Pobal for the distribution of these alarms.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Scahill for raising this issue. There is no doubt that Storm Éowyn brought huge disconnect and upset to many families across our region. It is important that we learn the lessons, particularly regarding connectivity. I and the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, have met the telecommunications companies and asked them to present us with resilience plans. This will also address the concerns the Senator has raised around the seniors alert scheme.

As the Senator said, the seniors alert scheme provides a monitored alarm service to those who meet the qualifying criteria, that is, those over the age of 65 who live alone or spend a significant time each day alone. As the Senator said, over 140,000 participants have used the scheme, which is administered by Pobal under the aegis of my Department, and that included 18,000 new applications in 2024. I assure the Senator that the scheme has been using multinetwork SIM since September 2021, when the current iteration of the scheme was launched.

There are currently two companies contracted to the scheme, both of which meet the minimum standards required for GSM - the global system for mobile communications - or a digital connection. While SIM charges are not covered by the scheme, all other elements are covered, such as the personal alarm device, the installation of the device and the monitoring for the first year. The SIM charges ensure that the participant will always have credit to enable them to contact the monitoring centre.

Beyond the need for connectivity, as I have said, it is vital that the devices will still operate during a localised or widespread power event. It is my understanding that the two current suppliers provide between 24 and 48 hours of battery life on devices that have been installed since September 2021, which would allow for a full 30 minutes of call duration even when the device is without electricity. However, in the context of the events during Storm Éowyn and our resilience plans, this is something I will examine to see what alternatives may be available.

I assure the Senator that officials in my Department are working with Pobal to ensure that the seniors alert scheme continues to provide participants with that most valuable commodity of all, peace of mind. I reiterate and endorse the Senator’s thanks to the community groups that oversee the scheme.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. Even though multinetwork SIM cards are being provided, there are still legacy models in the marketplace. Maybe something needs to be done regarding communication with the people using the systems at the moment in order to help identify the ones most affected by this problem. It is great to see the engagement. I welcome all of the Minister's remarks.

With regard to the networks, we need to emphasise the social responsibility that is required. Be it the Government, the Department, Pobal. or, as the Minister stated, community groups, no one has been found wanting when it comes to supporting this scheme. It is about economies of scale. Potentially, we could update the ones that might not have been updated since 2021. I thank the Minister very much for that.

Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael)
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Before the Minister responds, I take this opportunity to welcome the guests of Deputy Richard O'Donoghue from CBS in Charleville who are here in the Public Gallery. I hope you are all having a good day and enjoying your visit. I also hope the Deputy is looking after you well.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I join the Acting Chairperson in welcoming the guests from CBS Charleville.

I again thank Senator Scahill. I will bring the pre-2021 models to the attention of my officials. The most important thing is that we are looking at all the lessons we have had to learn from Storm Éowyn, particularly in light of the long period the people were without power and the impact that had on, for example, personal alarms. We continue to engage with telecoms companies regarding ongoing problems with broadband connectivity. That is still a major issue for many areas.