John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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53. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which the action plan for rural development will help elderly persons in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4127/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Rural Development provides a framework of supports to improve the lives of people who live and work in rural Ireland. It is the first Plan of its kind to address both the economic and social needs of rural Ireland through a whole-of-Government approach.

The Plan includes number of initiatives across a range of Departments which will have a particular benefit for elderly people in rural Ireland. For example:

- The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government will invest in the Seniors Alert Scheme, which facilitates valuable community-based support for vulnerable older people living alone, particularly in isolated areas.

- The Minister for Health has committed to improving access to GP services in rural areas, and to delivering 18 new primary care centres in rural Ireland by the end of 2018. This will help elderly people in rural Ireland to access services in their communities. The Minister has also committed to investing €435 million in 90 public nursing facilities and district and community hospitals in rural Ireland up to 2021.

- The HSE will maintain the network of senior helplines in operation throughout the country, to help address issues such as loneliness and isolation in rural areas.

- The implementation of the National Positive Ageing Strategy will also support older people in staying healthy and involved in their local communities.

- The Garda Síochána will continue to support and prioritise community crime prevention schemes, including the Neighbourhood Watch and Text Alert schemes, and a new Community CCTV Grant Aid scheme will be introduced.

- The National Transport Authority will work with rural communities to assess and implement improvements to existing rural transport routes and develop new rural transport routes as necessary. The Authority will also ensure that all Rural Transport Programme vehicles are accessible, having regard to passenger needs.

The Action Plan will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to monitor the progress of these, and all other measures in the Plan.