Vol. 550 No. 4
551 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the system by which grants are payable for provision of smoke alarms and sensor lights for elderly people to include emergency lighting units for pensioners who are eligible and who live in areas which have been independently assessed as having an above average level of voltage collapse and ESB power failures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9454/02]
552 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the representations made by the Erris district of community alert in the north Mayo area who have requested that the special grants scheme payable to community alert areas for facilities for the elderly be extended to include emergency lighting units; if his attention has further been drawn to the above average level of electricity power failures in this area and the voltage collapse being experienced frequently in the north Mayo area is a cause of concern to community alert groups and to elderly persons; his views on whether emergency lighting units would be of particular assistance to elderly people living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9455/02]
553 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the representations made by the Erris district of community alert comprising 13 different locations, of a requirement to extend the special grant scheme for facilities for the elderly payable to community alert groups to emergency lighting units; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the groups estimate that the cost of provision of the special lighting units would be of the order of ?50,000, and it is expected that up to ?1 million will be returned to his Department under this scheme in 2002; if he will approve and extend the scheme to cater for this area of north Mayo which has an above average level of voltage collapse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9505/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 551, 552 and 553 together.
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 its commencement, a total of €32.5 million has been allocated to the scheme, which to the end of 2000 has assisted some 80,482 individuals and €4.4 million has been provided for the scheme in 2002. Under the terms of the scheme, grants for the following equipment are provided for: small-scale physical security equipment such as strengthening of doors and windows, window locks, door chains and door locks and security lighting; and socially-monitored alarms systems such as the ‘panic button' pendant which is worn around the neck or wrist and operated via the telephone. An independent review of the scheme was completed in 1999 and there are no plans to amend the terms of the scheme.
