Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 4

Written Answers. - Security of the Elderly.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

206 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the grant scheme to ensure that sufficient grants are available for installing security devices so elderly people and others who are vulnerable can live in a secure environment; the reason this scheme was terminated in February 2000 and is to be reintroduced only in May 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17089/00]

Liam Aylward

Question:

213 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the administration of the scheme announced by his Department each year which makes various security systems available to the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17221/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 206, 213 and 216 together.

I emphasise that this scheme was not terminated in February 2000, as suggested in Question No. 206. My Department has, since 1996, operated the scheme of community support for older people, the purpose of which is to provide funding for initiatives to improve the security and social support of vulnerable older people. This funding is provided by way of grant aid to voluntary groups and organisations who have undertaken to identify those elderly people in need of assistance under the scheme.

Since I came in to office in mid-1997, 53,000 individuals have benefited under the scheme. In the last three years £13 million has been provided in the estimates for this scheme and another £5 million for this year. Some 70,000 people have benefited since the scheme began in 1996. I am committed to ensuring that this scheme continues to address the security needs of the most vulnerable older people in our society and have provided a sum of £5 million for the scheme in my Department's Estimates for 2000.

Under the terms of the scheme of community support for older people, grant aid is available towards the cost of: 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, such as the pendant alarm which is operatedvia the telephone and is worn around the neck or wrist.

To qualify for assistance under the scheme, older people, aged 65 or over, must: be living alone; or be living in households made up exclusively of older people; or of older and other people who are dependent and vulnerable; and be unable to install or purchase the security equipment or alarm system themselves.

Under the terms of the scheme a maximum of 90% of the once-off costs associated with the purchase and-or installation of this type of equipment can be funded. Annual monitoring fees or maintenance fees associated with these systems are not provided for under the scheme.

While the maximum grant available under this scheme is 90% of the total cost, it is not possible to guarantee this level of funding in respect of all applications received under the scheme. Priority in allocating the available funds will be given to the most vulnerable older people. The actual amount of the grant will vary in the light of individual circumstances and needs.

To ensure that the security needs of the most vulnerable older people were being met, my Department in consultation with the Departments of Finance and Health and Children, commissioned an independent review of the scheme in 1998 to consider how the scheme was meeting its objectives and whether it was doing so in the most efficient and effective way possible.

The review, which was published in April 1999, concluded that the security and social support of a large number of people had been greatly enhanced by the scheme. It also noted that, while the primary purpose of the scheme was to respond to the security threat to elderly people, it also had an important and beneficial health-community care effect.

While the review indicated a general satisfaction with the scheme among participating community groups, a number of issues of concern were raised by the groups consulted. These included the need for improved publicity for the scheme, the need to ensure that grants are as close as possible to the 90% maximum grant available under the scheme, and for more clarity on how to select applicants on the basis of vulnerability.

I have actively sought to address the issues of concern identified by participating groups and have endeavoured where possible and with refer ence to the available resources and the demands which must be met in any given year, to provide maximum funding under the scheme. My Department also actively enhances the profile of the scheme and promotes its benefits by advertising it on a national basis and by disseminating information on the scheme through a range of voluntary organisations and through the community liaison section of the Garda Síochána. Disseminating information in this way also ensures that vulnerable older people in the community who may not be aware of the scheme's potential benefits can be targeted for assistance by voluntary organisations. In addition my Department, to ensure maximum awareness of the scheme, circulated a newsletter outlining details of all supports available to elderly people to some 330,000 pensioners last November with an updated newsletter sent out last week.

Perhaps the single most important conclusion of the review was that the available resources should continue to be targeted at those elderly people deemed at risk or vulnerable and unable to meet the cost of the equipment themselves. In accordance with the recommendations of the review, it was decided to maintain the existing eligibility criteria for the scheme.

The review also identified a number of possible options with regard to the future management of the scheme, which included it continuing to be administered by my Department or being administered by other Departments-agencies.

Having considered the experience of the scheme's operation since 1996 and the conclusions of the review that the scheme was, and continues to be of significant benefit to many vulnerable older people, a decision was made to continue to operate the scheme under existing terms and there are no plans to amend or extend the scheme. Copies of the review have been sent to the Oireachtas Library for reference.

The scheme of community support for older people was not terminated in February of this year. In fact, details pertaining to the 2000 scheme were announced as recently as 14 April last and extensively advertised in the national and provincial press at that time. Those advertisements invited voluntary groups seeking assistance on behalf of vulnerable elderly people to submit applications to my Department.

While the closing date for receipt of applications was 26 May 2000, the regional offices of my Department are and always have been flexible in accepting late applications, their prime concern in this regard being the safety and security of vulnerable older people. Individuals who wish to obtain assistance under the scheme should contact their local representative of any organisation actively participating in the scheme, such as, Muintir na Tíre, neighbourhood watch, community alert or any other local group which may be involved in the scheme. Alternatively, they may contact the relevant regional office of my Department.