Vol. 471 No. 1
196 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether extra finance will be made available to either local authorities or the health boards to enable a fund to be set up for replacing doors and windows of senior citizens who have been given a chance to have security devices fitted, but whose doors and windows are not currently suitable from a security point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20496/96]
197 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of the allocation of £2 million provided for security projects for the elderly; the various groups which received grants; the amount allocated to each group; whether the full £2 million has been allocated; whether the scheme will be repeated in 1997; if the facilities and assistance being offered by the various groups are standard; if he will give a summary of such assistance; and the specific organisations, if any, which have been allocated funding in the areas of Dublin 9 and 11. [20328/96]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together.
One of the recommendations of the special task force on security for the elderly was that my Department introduce a once-off £2 million grant scheme to provide grant aid to voluntary organisations in relation to security initiatives for the elderly. That recommendation was accepted. Subsequently, I established a national advisory committee on which the National Council for the Elderly, the Irish Association of Victim Support, the Reach Out campaign, Muintir na Tíre, the Irish Country Women's Association and the Garda Síochána — neighbourhood watch — are represented to advise on a suitable scheme that would ensure that the available funds are targeted on the most vulnerable older people and the best possible value for money is achieved. The scheme is being operated on a once off basis. Funding under the scheme is available for community and voluntary groups only.
On the basis of the advice of this advisory committee and taking into account the amount of money available and the cost of security equipment, I decided that funding could be provided for equipment such as: small-scale physical security equipment such as strengthening of doors and windows, window locks, door chains and locks and security lighting; and socially monitored alarm systems.
The scheme, entitled a scheme of community support for older people, was advertised on Wednesday, 29 May 1996 in the national newspapers. The scheme is open to any voluntary or community-based organisation working with or providing support for vulnerable older people. Information on the scheme was disseminated through my Department i.e. headquarters, regional and local offices and through the networks of the various organisations represented on the national advisory committee.
