More than €4 million from the Dormant Accounts Fund has been allocated to support 122 elderly support projects nationwide, the Government confirmed today.
The cash injection will assist older people to continue living in their own homes and communities, improve access to services, and lessen the necessity for pensioners to be placed in residential care.
The recreational and social needs of the elderly will be focused on, with the provision of small grants from €5,000 to €50,000 to fund leisure activities and events.
Successful projects will also include the provision of transport facilities to enable older people access services more readily. "I am delighted that the Government has approved this substantial allocation for older people," said Noel Ahern, minister of state at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
"A key priority of this Government's strategy is to support older people to stay in their own homes and their communities.
"It is clear that there is a strong demand for these type of supports and I believe that the funding announced today provides many concrete examples of the benefits of targeted usage of the Dormant Accounts Fund in augmenting mainstream supports."