Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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810. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason that tax is required to be paid after the first free year, on top of the yearly payment for the personal safety wrist alarm for older people supplied by Pobal. [4290/23]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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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 towards the purchase by a registered community-based organisation of a personal alarm or pendant. 

Following a review, an updated version of the scheme came into effect in November 2017. A number of changes were introduced at that time, including the provision of free monitoring for the first year.

Charges for monitoring services from year two onwards are the subject of a private contract between the participant and the company providing the monitoring service. The only tax that would be applicable is Value-Added Tax (VAT), which is charged on monitoring services. The application of VAT on goods and services is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Finance.