Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the remaining funds for 2009 for the scheme of community support for older people; the number of applications currently waiting to be assessed or approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26914/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the decision to suspend the Scheme of Community Support for Older People was taken in the interests of stabilising the public finances and in the context of significant increases in demand under the Scheme in recent years. Applications to the value of €3.6m were approved under the Scheme in 2007 and this figure increased to €4.2m in 2008. On suspension of the Scheme on 7th April 2009 almost €1.5m worth of applications had been processed or were on hand for processing. In this context, demand for the full year 2009 could have been of the order of €6m if the scheme had not been suspended. This level of demand was clearly unsustainable in the current economic climate.

The suspension of the Scheme has afforded my Department the opportunity to initiate a comprehensive review and address a broad range of concerns that have been raised in respect of its operation in recent times. I can confirm that the review is currently underway and I hope to be in position to have it completed by the Autumn and provide a revised Scheme. I would like to assure the Deputy that all applications received prior to the suspension of the Scheme are being processed in line with the current eligibility criteria. To date some €1.2m has been paid to applicants and currently 38 applications are being processed and I anticipate that decisions in respect of these will be published over the coming weeks and related payments made.