Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 7

Written Answers. - Grant Aid.

Liz O'Donnell

Ceist:

215 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Welfare the procedures which must be followed by senior citizens in order to avail of a grant for burglar alarms; whether each senior citizen on a pension is entitled to the grant; whether the scheme is means tested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19703/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

One of the recommendations of the Special Task Force on Security for the Elderly was that my Department introduce a £2 million grant scheme to provide grant-aid to voluntary groups in relation to security initiatives for the elderly. The recommendation, which I accepted, was for a scheme of grants to voluntary and community groups, and not a scheme of payments to individuals. Making the funds available through voluntary organisations, with their local knowledge and expertise, ensures that the available funds are targeted on the most vulnerable older people.

I subsequently 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 the implementation of the scheme.

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: 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. Grants towards the cost of conventional burglar alarm systems are not available under the scheme. The strong advice available to me from the advisory committee and the Garda Síochána is that conventional burglar alarms are of limited use to vulnerable elderly people living alone.

As the scheme came about as a direct result of the Special Task Force on Security for the Elderly, it was intended to provide funding for older people, which for the purpose of the scheme includes anyone over the age of 65 years living alone or living in households made up exclusively of older people or older people and other vulnerable and dependent people. Anyone wishing to avail of this scheme could contact any voluntary or community-based organisation working with or providing support for vulnerable or older people, who would make an application to my Department on their behalf.

As funding under the scheme is provided to voluntary organisations, not individuals, the question of a means test does not arise. However, the intention is that resources are targeted at the most vulnerable older people.