John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of persons benefitting from the seniors alert scheme nationally, by county, in each of the years 2014 to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34132/16]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the rationale for moving the senior alert scheme application online considering many older persons are unable to use computers and have no access to a computer; if an online system is adequate for such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34133/16]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of groups that administer the senior alert scheme nationally, by county, in each of the years 2014 to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34134/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 to 167, inclusive, together.

The objective of the Seniors Alert Scheme is to encourage support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the Scheme towards the purchase by a registered community-based organisation of equipment, i.e. a personal alarm and/or pendant, while the associated monitoring and service charges are the responsibility of the individual participant.

As part of a review of the Scheme in 2010, one of the recommendations was that a centralised procurement process would simplify the Scheme. By decreasing the level of administration for the community-based organisations, this would allow them to spend more time on the key aim of the Scheme, which is enhanced engagement with older members of the community. It would also achieve value for money through economies of scale.

My Department undertook to consider new approaches to the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2014 and, arising from this, it was decided that the Scheme should be managed by Pobal, given its significant experience delivering programmes on behalf of Government. The management and administration of the Scheme transferred from the Department to Pobal on 7 September 2015.

The community based organisations that wish to support older people with the supply of personal monitored alarms are required to register with Pobal before operating the scheme. It is important to stress that a paper-based registration process is available to facilitate those community-based organisations unable to register online.  Pobal also operates a telephone helpline facility to assist with any queries (tel. no. 01 5117222).

Once registered, the community-based organisations can then submit participant applications on behalf of elderly people living in their defined area of operation. There is no closing date for receipt of registrations.

This new approach was designed to reduce the administrative burden for the many hundreds of community and voluntary organisations registered under the Scheme, who provide an excellent service for the elderly. It also enables the organisations to concentrate on the main purpose of the Scheme, namely to support and interact with the elderly in their local communities. This will enhance the outcome for both beneficiaries and community groups alike.

Pobal are currently undertaking a general review of the Scheme. This review will identify potential improvements, including technological advances. On completion of the review, a new Scheme will be put in place. Consultation with relevant stakeholders, including local communities, service users and civic organisations, is a key component of the review, the results of which will inform my Department’s policy on the future direction of the Senior Alerts Scheme.

The data relating to the number of persons benefitting from alarms and the number of groups which administer the scheme is set out in the following tables. As a result of the transfer of administration of this scheme from my Department to Pobal in September 2015, the information contained in Table 1 relates to the period from 1 January 2014 to 6 September 2015, while the information contained in Tables 2 and 3 relates to the period from 7 September 2015 to date. It should be noted that, following the transfer of the scheme to Pobal, all community-based organisations that wished to support older people with the supply of monitored alarms were required to register with Pobal.

Table 1

*Figures for 2015 cover the period to 6 September 2015

Table 2

Table 3