Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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883. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the seniors alert scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49490/14]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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911. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the changes to the seniors alert scheme that are proposed; his views on whether sufficient consultation has been undertaken with interested parties; his further views on the points raised in a document (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1107/15]

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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915. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when funding will be made available to enable senior alert schemes to provide carbon monoxide alarms to the disabled and the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1163/15]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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929. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the change in management of the senior alert scheme, if he will provide details of all consultations with stakeholders held by officials in his Department prior to transferring management of the scheme to Pobal; if under newly tendered contracts the minimum standard required will be the existing EU standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1513/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 883, 911, 915 and 929 together.

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 maximum grant per beneficiary for equipment is as follows:

- Monitored personal alarms (with pendant) - €250

-  Additional pendant/Re-installation - €50

The annual monitoring costs (generally between €60 - €80 per annum) are borne by the beneficiary.

My Department undertook to consider new approaches to the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2014 and arising from this, it was decided that the scheme be managed by Pobal, given that organisation's significant experience delivering programmes on behalf of Government.

Pobal's management and administrative services for the Scheme includes an invitation to tender for the supply and installation of personal monitored alarms, which was publicly advertised on eTenders on 20 October 2014. A panel of regional suppliers will be contracted to provide the equipment within specific regional areas. As the market for the equipment is well established, it was neither necessary nor prudent to engage in consultations on the matter. The tender included a requirement for suppliers to set out their value added services, including the supply of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. The tender process, which is being led by Pobal, is almost complete.

This new approach will reduce the administrative burden for the many hundreds of community and voluntary groups registered under the Scheme, who provide an excellent service for the elderly. It will enable the groups to concentrate on the main purpose of the Scheme, namely to support and interact with the elderly in the local community.