Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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796. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the current provision of senior community alarms by local community groups, and any future plans in this regard in relation to proposals put forward by Pobal (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23708/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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798. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the senior alert scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23757/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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799. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the community alert scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23758/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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800. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the Senior Community Alarms Scheme and monitoring fees applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23778/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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801. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the tender for senior community alarms will result in a lowering of standards within the market (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23779/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 796 and 798 to 801, inclusive, 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.

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 included an invitation to tender for the supply and installation of personal monitored alarms, which was publicly advertised on eTenders on 20 October 2014. The tender process, which is being led by Pobal, is almost complete. Following on from this, a panel of regional suppliers will be contracted to provide the equipment within specific regional areas. The tender was broken down into 10 regional lots to ensure that SME’s were not disadvantaged due to excessively large lot sizes.

It should be noted that there are no legal mandatory standards required for the manufacture of personal alarms. Many of the existing units comply with the EU standard; newer manufacturers of equipment or the newer more innovative technologies may meet other quality standards e.g. ISO standard. Under the tender competition, those suppliers that meet the minimum requirement would score the minimum amount of marks available and suppliers that propose products over and above the minimum requirements would be awarded a higher score.

A monitoring services panel was also advertised via eTenders on 6 November 2014.This process will engage a panel of quality checked monitoring suppliers who will outline the costs they charge and the service they provide. This information will be provided to the community groups and individuals to ensure they can make the best choice in relation to theirmonitoring services supplier.

The use of this panel is voluntary; monitoring costs are not grant-aided and have always been the responsibility of the beneficiary. The older person will continue to be responsible for choosing the monitoring supplier of their choice and they are free to continue to use their current provider. Annual monitoring costs (generally between €60 - €80 per annum) are borne by the beneficiary. The contract for monitoring services is a matter between the beneficiary and the monitoring service provider; my Department has no role in the matter.

Under the current Scheme the maximum grant per beneficiary for equipment is as follows: monitored personal alarms (with pendant) - €250; additional pendant/Re-installation - €50; the transfer of the operation of the scheme to Pobal is scheduled for completion by end July 2015; the strategic policy direction of the Scheme will remain my Department’s responsibility. In the meantime, community and voluntary groups wishing to draw down grant support under the Seniors Alert Scheme should continue to apply to my Department in the usual way.