Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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126. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether he intends on expanding the senior alerts scheme to include a wider range of technological supports as part of Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38314/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Seniors Alert Scheme helps older people to remain in their communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms, enabling them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase, via a registered community-based organisation, of a personal alarm or pendant.

Since the scheme was launched in 2015, almost 150,000 participants have been approved for the alarms, including over 18,200 in 2024.

The current scheme came into effect in September 2021 and, along with the provision of free monitoring for the first year and a revision of the living alone requirements, it introduced a new key feature in the additional option of a digital alarm, for use with web-based connections.

It should be noted that there are already a mix of technical solutions currently available through the Seniors Alert Scheme, including GSM and fibre compatible devices. Notwithstanding this, consideration of new and developing technologies that may be incorporated into the scheme is ongoing, including budgetary requirements, with a view to a new iteration of the scheme being launched over the next 12 months.