Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 3

Written Answers - Security of the Elderly.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

215 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 298 of 5 February 2003, if he will proceed with the grant aid to cover the 3000 elderly people in the eastern region only, as full audited accounts have been submitted in respect of previous moneys received by security of the elderly for that region (details supplied). [6020/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Mr. N. Ahern)

Under the 2002 scheme of community support for older people, CSOP, various regional offices of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which administered the scheme in 2002, received applications from the organisation referred to by the Deputy.

It is a requirement of the scheme that voluntary or community based groups seeking funding must satisfy the defined eligibility criteria of the scheme, comply with Government tax clearance procedures and provide satisfactory accounts in respect of previously paid grants.

My Department, in association with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, has initiated an inspection of the books, records and returns of the organisation referred to by the Deputy, specifically in relation to the usage of grants paid to that organisation under the 2000 CSOP scheme. Following the outcome of this inspection, consideration will then be given to the question of providing further grant aid to the organisation.