Vol. 497 No. 3
152 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the situation regarding the granting of security aids to the elderly; if applications are still being accepted by his Department; the future plans, if any, in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25125/98]
The scheme of community support for older people was established by my Department in 1996 to address the security needs of vulnerable older people in the community.
Under the scheme, grants are made available to voluntary organisations such as Muintir na Tíre, Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch, which have undertaken to identify the older people in the community in need of the scheme's services.
Under the scheme grants are available 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. Funding is not available for conventional burglar alarms under this scheme.
Older people, aged 65 or over, who live alone or in households made up exclusively of older and-or other dependent vulnerable people and who are unable to install or purchase the equipment concerned themselves, can benefit from the scheme.
A sum of £2 million was allocated to the scheme in the 1998 Estimates. A review of applications under the 1998 scheme indicated that some 940 applications had been received. Having reviewed the level of demand under the scheme this year I recently sought, and obtained, Government approval for the allocation of an additional £3 million to the scheme, bringing the total allocation in 1998 to £5 million. The allocation of these additional funds will allow the Department to assist a large number of people again this year.
As the closing date for receipt of applications under the 1998 scheme was 22 May, it is not possible at this stage to accept applications under the scheme. Applications received before that date are being considered in the regional offices of my Department who expect to be in a position soon to advise groups of the decision regarding their applications.
It should be noted that since its inception in 1996 a total of £12 million has been made available for this scheme and up to the end of 1997 some 36,000 people had been assisted by the scheme. It is anticipated that in excess of a further 20,000 people will be assisted this year. This means that since I came into office in July last year this Government has spent £10 million on this scheme as opposed to £2 million spent on it by the previous Government.
153 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if, further to his recent announcement in relation to pensions for self employed people who were over 56 in 1988 and have five years contributions, he will clarify that pro rata pensions will now apply to all persons with a minimum of five years contributions; if the ten year rule is no longer valid; and, if not, the reason a person is discriminated against due to the year they paid their contribution. [25138/98]
The pro rata pension referred to by the Deputy has been introduced to address the very specific issue of the group of self-employed people who, having entered social insurance in April 1988 and paid into the fund, found themselves excluded from entitlement.
This new pension will only be payable to those self-employed persons who were aged 56 or over in April 1988 when social insurance was extended to the self-employed and who have between five and ten years contributions paid since April 1988. Further details will be announced at budget time.
Regarding the ten year rule, in general a person is required to have entered insurance at least ten years before pension age. This has been a feature of the scheme since its introduction in 1961, with the purpose of linking entitlement to a pension with a reasonable level of contributions to the social insurance fund during the course of a person's career.
There are no plans to amend this existing arrangement.
