Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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257. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter regarding alarms (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14400/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for 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. 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 completed an open tender for the supply of the alarm equipment and a panel of preferred suppliers was identified. This national tender was broken down into 10 regional lots to ensure that smaller alarm suppliers were not disadvantaged due to excessively large lot sizes. A panel of regional suppliers was contracted to provide the equipment within specified regional areas while maintaining the benefits of local service provision. The management and administration of the Scheme transferred from my Department to Pobal on 7 September 2015.

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

The new arrangements will allow my Department to concentrate on developing and improving the Scheme. This will enhance the outcome for both beneficiaries and community groups alike.