Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 593: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the plans he has to improve the scheme for community support for the elderly by including burglar alarms as one of the items supported under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23572/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department manages the Scheme of Community Support for Older People which assists qualifying older people, aged 65 years and over, by means of a community based grant scheme. Funding is provided towards the once-off cost of installing monitored alarm systems, door and window locks, door chains, security lighting, smoke alarms and in the case of qualifying older people living on our offshore islands, interior emergency lighting. The scheme does not cover intruder alarms.

A review of the Scheme was completed in 2006. I am satisfied that the range of security equipment funded under this Scheme is adequate in terms of enhancing the security of older people in the community and there are no plans at present to further extend it.