Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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2085. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications received by her Department in 2020 and to date in 2021 for home safety and personal alarms. [15216/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme for the purchase by a registered community based-organisation of a personal alarm or pendant. The scheme is administered by Pobal with the support of local community and voluntary groups.

During 2020, 16,719 new participants were approved for the scheme, and to the end of February 2021, an additional 2,530 new participants have been approved. There were no applications refused by Pobal in 2020 and to date in 2021.

The total number of participants of the Seniors Alert Scheme as at 28 February 2021 is 78,816 since the scheme commenced in 2015.