Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the regulations, both in place and proposed, regarding the fitting of alarm systems by approved installers under the community support for older people scheme; if the alarms already fitted by people other than approved installers will have to be taken out or if fines will be imposed and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20585/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The guidelines to the Scheme of Community Support for Older People (CSOP) recommend that Groups installing socially monitored alarms should only deal with reputable suppliers with a proven track record and an ability to operate to best industry standards. I have no function in "approving" installations of alarm systems or enforcing such approvals.

The Deputy may be aware that the European standard for socially monitored alarms, EN50134 has been adopted in Ireland as I.S. EN50134. I understand that, following discussions between my Department and the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), the NSAI is developing a certification scheme which can be applied to this Standard. When this certification scheme has been developed by the NSAI, my Department, under the CSOP scheme, will then fund only installations by certified installers.