Vol. 532 No. 3
127 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to any difficulty in relation to the granting of aid to the elderly of County Kildare to fund panic button systems and smoke alarms with particular reference to Naas residents' forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7281/01]
The 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 its commencement, a total of £22 million has been allocated to the scheme which to the end of 2000 has assisted some 80,482 individuals. Accordingly, I propose to have the scheme of community support for older people advertised in both the national and provincial press by the end of March, at which time any voluntary or community-based organisation working with or providing support for vulnerable older people may submit applications for funding on their behalf.
Applications received for funding under the scheme from organisations in County Kildare are assessed by the Dublin west regional office of the Department and I can advise that funding of £213,407 was allocated in 2000 under the scheme to organisations in the Dublin west region.
In administering this and other schemes, the Department must ensure that all applications meet the criteria for funding and that all necessary information and documentation is supplied and found to be satisfactory.
With reference to the group indicated in the Deputy's question, the information and documentation supplied was not sufficient and funding could not be allocated from last year's allocation. However, additional information which was recently supplied by this group to the Department is currently under consideration and the Department will contact the group shortly regarding the matter.
