The purpose of the scheme of community support for older people is to provide funding for initiatives to improve the security of vulnerable older people.
Grants are paid directly to the locally based organisations. No grants are paid to individuals or alarm companies under this scheme.
Under the terms of the 2003 scheme, grant aid was made available towards the once-off costs of purchase and/or installation of small-scale physical security equipment and socially monitored alarm systems. In 2003, for the first time since the scheme was introduced, funding was made available towards the cost of replacement, where socially monitored alarms previously installed under this scheme were broken.
The relevant local organisation has responsibility for the purchase and installation of the security equipment and my Department has no direct involvement in this aspect of the scheme.