Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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1607. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide information on the level of funding and who provides the funding to elderly/senior citizens organisations, on a national, county and local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34768/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department. The allocation for the Seniors Alert Scheme for 2014 is €2.35 million, which is sufficient to meet current demand levels.

The funding Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary sector provides multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. Priority is given under the scheme to supporting national organisations that provide coalface services to disadvantaged target groups. Core funding refers typically to operating costs that will always need to be met, and are fundamental to the organisation's survival. Two groups providing services to older people, Age Action Ireland and Active Retirement Network Ireland, receive funding under this scheme. My Department also provides annual funding to members of the Community and Voluntary Pillar. This funding has been awarded to support costs, not funded from any other sources, directly related to the organisations’ contribution to policy-making. The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament receives funding under this scheme.

Details of expenditure in recent years on these schemes is provided in the tables below.

Seniors Alert Scheme