Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if there are any grants available to old age pensioners for the installation of a house alarm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9374/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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While the installation of house alarms is not funded, my Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme. This scheme encourages 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 Pobal, an independent company, who took over this role from my Department in September 2015, given that organisation’s significant experience delivering programmes on behalf of Government. Once registered with Pobal, the community-based organisations can submit applications for personal monitored alarms on behalf of elderly people living in their defined area of operation. There is no closing date for receipt of registrations.

Full information can be found on the Pobal website – www.pobal.ie - together with a list of the registered community organisations by county. Pobal also operates a telephone helpline facility to assist with any queries (01 5117222), or can be contacted by email at onlinesupport@pobal.ie.