Written answers

Wednesday, 26 April 2006

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Security of the Elderly

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if the criteria for the community support for older people will be extended to include house alarms for pensioners. [15612/06]

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will undertake a review of the scheme of community support for older people to ensure that elderly pensioners who do not live in a community alert area can avail of assistance more easily; his views on liaising with the Department of Social and Family Affairs to ensure that every pensioner is made aware of the help that is available under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15699/06]

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together.

The scheme of community support for older people, CSOP, encourages and assists the community's support for qualifying older people, aged 65 years and older, by means of a community based grant scheme, which provides funding for door locks, window locks, door chains, security lighting, smoke alarms and towards the once-off cost of installing socially monitored alarm systems. I have no plans at present to extend the scheme to provide house alarms for pensioners.

Any local voluntary or community based organisation involved in supporting older people in their community can apply to my Department for funding under the scheme. My Department has been engaged in an extensive review of the CSOP scheme, including consultation with a range of CSOP applicant groups. l will formally announce details of the 2006 scheme shortly, including a number of changes intended to make the scheme more accessible to applicant organisations and older people in their communities over the course of the year, and to facilitate participation by a wider range of groups. The 2006 scheme will be advertised in the national and provincial press.

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