Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 5

Written Answers. - Security of the Elderly.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

454 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if funding will be allocated to aid elderly people in paying the professional monitoring fee for their call monitoring facility which is necessary for their safety and protection. [16561/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Mr. N. Ahern): The purpose of the scheme of community support for older people is to provide funding for initiatives to improve the security and social support of vulnerable older people, by way of grant-aid towards the once off costs of purchase and-or installation of small-scale physical security equipment and socially monitored alarm systems.

Annual monitoring fees or maintenance costs associated with socially monitored alarm systems are not provided for under the scheme. The Deputy will also appreciate that as these fees are levied by private providers, my Department has no role in setting, abolishing, waiving or reducing such fees.