Greens welcome Community Support funding for Older People in Wicklow
The Green Party has welcomed the announcement of funding from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for a further 39 applicant organisations under The Scheme of Community Support for Older People. According to Green Party Senator, Deirdre de Burca, this brings to 200 the number of organisations who have benefited from funding amounting to over EUR1.2 million to date in 2008 under this Scheme.
"The Scheme - which is administered by local community and voluntary groups - and funded by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is designed to foster broader community support for older persons at a local level" says de Burca. "Funding is provided towards the once-off cost of installing socially monitored alarm systems, and for security equipment such as sensor lighting, window locks, door locks, door chains and smoke alarms. There is also funding available for interior security lighting for qualifying older people living on our offshore islands".
Green Party councillor on Wicklow County Council, Cllr Ciaran o Brien welcomed the funding, which he says will enable local community and voluntary groups to bring the benefits of this Scheme to vulnerable older people in their communities. "Funding is provided for a range of initiatives, which helps provide older people with the security they need to live independently in their own homes" says Cllr o Brien.
Green Party Local Area Representative for the Wicklow Area, Pat Kavanagh welcomed the 4,800.00 for the Glendalough and District Community Alert and the 6,770.00 for the Wicklow Active Retirement Association."This is an important acknowledgement of the ongoing invaluable work carried out by local organisations, as this voluntary activity is essential to the operation of the Scheme of Community Support for Older People in Wicklow" says Pat Kavanagh
Green Party Local Area Representative for ther Greystones Area, Niall Byrne, welcomed the 17, 394.00 euros for the Neighbourhood Watch Greystones. He said the funding will provide badly needed financial support for the important work carried out by the Neighbourhood Watch in the area.
