Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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181. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the estimated cost in 2019 if the budget for the senior alert scheme was increased by 15%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22796/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The allocation for the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2018 is €2.3m. The scheme was successfully re-launched late last year and I am pleased to advise the Deputy that to date the revised scheme has been a resounding success. By end of April, 7,559 applications had been approved, representing an increase of 133% over the same period in 2017.

My officials are carefully monitoring the scheme with a view to ensuring that the current levels of demand can continue to be met from within the resources available to my Department. The allocation for 2019 will be determined in the context of the Estimates.