Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 July 2021
496. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the financial allocations in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 for the seniors alert scheme in County Cork; the take-up of the scheme since 2016 for County Cork; the changes made to the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38550/21]
View answerMy 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.
Further to a review, a new scheme was introduced in 2017. I am pleased to say that since the launch of the current scheme, demand has been unprecedented. In 2020, over 16,700 participants were approved. In 2021, over 7,500 participants have been approved to the end of June, with approximately 6,800 installations completed.
The key features of the current scheme include:
- free monitoring of the alarm service for the 1st year;
- a person no longer has to be living alone to qualify;
- a self-declaration of limited means for eligibility; and
- an increase in administrative payments to community groups involved in rolling out the scheme.
Since 2016, 9,842 participants have been approved for the Scheme in County Cork, broken down as follows:
|
Year |
Approved Participants Co. Cork |
|
2016 |
1,070 |
|
2017 |
1,434 |
|
2018 |
2,246 |
|
2019 |
2,256 |
|
2020 |
1,917 |
|
2021 (to end June) |
919 |
The current lot-based tender system for suppliers combines a number of counties into each of the seven lots, and payments are made to the suppliers in each of these lots. Therefore it is not possible to say with full accuracy how much funding has been given to each county.
The Senior Alert Scheme is demand led and funding is allocated to meet the demand under the Scheme and is not divided on a geographical basis.
