Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 301: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if consideration will be given to altering the funding arrangements for the provision by voluntary community groups of socially monitored alarms and other security devices for pensioners (details supplied); his views on accepting the recommendation of a Garda or health professional as an alternative to the required vetting of applicants by the voluntary community groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36341/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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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 open to people aged 65 and over who have a genuine need for assistance under this scheme and is administered by community and voluntary organisations throughout the country on an annual basis with support provided by my Department.

Having a closing date for receipt of applications allows my Department to assess the amount of funding sought under the scheme in a given year and to ensure that the funding available is distributed as equitably as possible to all applicant organisations. Given the nature of the scheme, my Department exercises a degree of flexibility in relation to the closing date. After the closing date and in circumstances where an individual requires equipment urgently, my Department will accept additional applicants to the group's application during the period of processing.

While I thank the Deputy for his suggestion, I believe that the involvement of a local voluntary organisation in the delivery of this scheme sustains the link between the older person and the wider community, which is an important feature of the scheme.