Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 417: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position in relation to personal alarms for old age pensioners; if, in view of the fact that many old age pensioners find it difficult to pay €80 per year running costs to emergency response, this will be waived and funding allocated to cover it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20697/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The purpose of the scheme of community support for older people is to encourage and assist the community's support for older people by means of a community based grant scheme to improve the security of its older members. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department.

Resources are directed to providing equipment to those older members of the community in need of such assistance and who have not already had the equipment installed. The scheme provides maximum individual grants of €300 in respect of the once-off installation cost of socially monitored alarms; €150 in respect of door locks, window locks and door chains; €150 in respect of security lighting; and in 2004 I introduced a grant of €50 in respect of smoke alarms. I have no plans to further extend the scheme to fund the annual fee for running costs of socially-monitored alarm systems.