Written answers

Tuesday, 25 September 2018

Department of Rural and Community Development

Seniors Alert Scheme

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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105. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding provided to Galway city and county under the seniors alert scheme; the number of applicants approved; the number of alert schemes installed in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; the funding allocated to Galway city and county for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38598/18]

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The total allocation for the Seniors Alert Scheme (SAS) in 2016 was €2.3m of which €1.8m was spent. Following a review, I launched a new scheme which took effect on 1 November 2017.  A media and information campaign was organised to support the launch.  

I am pleased to say that since the launch of the new Seniors Alert Scheme, the demand has been unprecedented. During 2017, spend on the Scheme amounted to €2.7m, with over 12,600 applications approved and more than 10,000 installations completed. To the end of August 2018, almost 13,000 applications were approved, with in excess of 14,500 installations completed. 

Since the Seniors Alert Scheme commenced in September 2015, 2,484 participants have been approved for the Scheme in County Galway, broken down as follows.

YearApproved participants
201581
2016538
2017872
To end August 2018993
Total2,484

The lot-based tender system for suppliers combines a number of counties into each of the seven lots, and payments are made to the suppliers in each of these lots. Therefore it is not possible to say with full accuracy how much funding has been given to each county.  The Senior Alert Scheme is demand led and funding is allocated to meet the demand under the Scheme and is not divided on a geographical basis. 

My officials are carefully monitoring the scheme to ensure that current levels of demand can continue to be met from within the resources available to my Department. The funding allocation for 2019 is currently under consideration as part over of the overall 2019 Estimates process.

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