Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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813. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the grants available to voluntary organisations for acquiring new equipment in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7240/16]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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Funding to voluntary organisations for the purposes of acquiring new equipment may be available under the Dormant Accounts legislation whereby balances on dormant accounts with banks, building societies and An Post are paid into the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the National Treasury Management Agency.

The primary purpose of the legislation is to re-unite the original account holders with their moneys, including all interest due. In addition, the legislation provides that disbursements from the Fund may be made for charitable purposes or for purposes of community benefit.

A Disbursement Scheme sets out the moneys that may be disbursed from the Fund. The current scheme was approved by Government in December 2013 and will run until November 2016. In addition, a Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan is prepared each year in order to implement the Disbursement Scheme. The most recent Action Plan was adopted on 1 July 2014 and contained an allocation in excess of €26m to be expended through a number of Government Departments and agencies.

Work is currently underway on drafting a new 2016 Dormant Accounts Action Plan and it is anticipated that this plan will be finalised shortly. Further data in relation to the Dormant Accounts Fund are available on my Department’s website at .

In addition, grant assistance is provided by my Department towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms under the Seniors Alert Scheme , which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities. This scheme enables older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available towards the purchase of equipment by a registered organisation i.e. personal alarm and/or pendant and the associated monitoring and service charges are paid by the participant. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department.