Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will make a statement on the community support grants for older people; his views on the inclusion of a house alarm as part of the scheme; and if a person can apply directly to his Department for the scheme. [8402/10]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department carried out a review of the Scheme of Community Support for Older People in 2009. I hope to publish the review before the end of this month, once I have received the input of other relevant Departments and organisations working with older people.

My Department is also at an advanced stage in finalising arrangements for the implementation of a number of innovations to the scheme to address matters raised in the review. The revised scheme will seek to:

· streamline its operation and make it easier for community groups to access grant support; and

· broaden coverage to ensure that older people who are unable to provide this equipment from their own resources have access to grant aid.

The scheme is currently focused on the provision of monitored personal alert equipment and it is not proposed that this will be extended to cover house alarms. Personal alarms bring greater ease of mind to the user as they allow for direct two-way interaction with the monitoring station in the event of any concerns being raised by the user.

The scheme continues to accept applications for grant support and will remain open until such time as revised arrangements are in place. Information on the grants paid is updated monthly on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie.