Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if and when an alarm system for older people will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11176/08]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates the Scheme of Community Support for Older People. This Scheme encourages and assists the community's support for older people by means of community-based grants to improve the security of vulnerable older people in their own homes. The Scheme is open to people aged 65 and over who have a genuine need for assistance and is administered by local community and voluntary organisations throughout the country with support provided by my Department.

Maximum individual grants provided under the scheme are as follows: €300 in respect of the once-off installation cost of socially monitored alarms; €200 in respect of physical security equipment; €200 in respect of security lighting; €50 in respect of smoke alarms; and €150 in respect of interior emergency lighting for qualifying older people living on our offshore islands. My Department has received no application for funding for — or on behalf of — the named individual under this Scheme. To apply for assistance, individuals should contact a local community and voluntary group and request that they make an application on their behalf to the Department. Should the individual referred to by the Deputy need assistance in contacting a local group, officials in my Department can be contacted at 071-9186761/2/3 and further information in respect of the Scheme is available at my Department's website www.pobail.ie.