Personal Alarms for Elderly in Ireland: The HSE Doesn't Run the Scheme — Pobal Does

Deirdre, 78, told her son Mark to stop worrying. The HSE, she insisted, gave out free alarms. Her neighbour had one. Mark spent a week searching. He found ads, not answers.

They were both half right. The alarm exists. The HSE has little to do with it.

Who actually runs the free alarm scheme

The state scheme is the Seniors Alert Scheme. Pobal administers the grants. The gov.ie service page states: "The Senior Alerts Scheme provides grants for personal emergency alarms for older people."

Eligibility is strict. You must be 65 or over. You must live alone, or with another person over 65, or be alone for most of the day. Telecare.ie adds two crucial details: you need limited means, and being a carer counts.

Here is the trap. You do not apply to the HSE. You cannot fill the form yourself. Applications go through a local residents' association registered with Pobal. They submit the paperwork. If your mother’s village has a development group, that is your front door. Most families knock on the wrong one.

What the grant covers — and where "free" stops

The grant pays for the pendant and base unit. Telecare.ie confirms installation is free. The first year of 24-hour monitoring is also included.

Then comes the cost. Once year one ends, you pay the monitoring fee. The rate depends on your chosen telecare company. A GSM alarm, which works without a landline, carries an extra SIM card cost. Telecare.ie puts this at around €72 per year.

The hardware stays free. The service does not. Budget for year two before you sign.

Mum in Cork, you in Manchester

Who installs the device? Who chases delays?

Once Pobal approves the application, the community group contacts the supplier. Telecare.ie says installation must happen within six weeks. The supplier has ten days to install after ordering, or three days in emergencies. If your mother waits longer, chase the group that filed her application. Not the HSE.

Which number does the alarm dial? Not 999. The SOS button triggers a call to your contacts or a monitored operator. That monitored centre is what you pay for from year two onward.

If paperwork stalls, call Pobal’s client services team on 01 511 7000. You can ring from Manchester. They will point you to the registered group covering her area.

No grant, or no patience? What to buy privately

A basic unmonitored alarm is just a squeaking button. It helps only if someone nearby hears it. A monitored alarm calls a staffed centre. That difference matters more than brand names.

TASK Community Care (Ireland). Telecare.ie describes TASK as Ireland's longest-established telecare firm. Based in County Meath, they supply equipment and monitoring across Ireland and the UK. After the free scheme year, TASK charges €66 per year for monitoring. This price has held for over 20 years. They also maintain the equipment for free while you hold the contract. The honest drawback: these are the supplier's own numbers. Ask your community group which suppliers they trust.

SureSafe (UK). SureSafe calls itself the UK's leading provider. In-home alarms start at £49. The GPS watch or pendant starts at £75. Dementia trackers begin at £189. They hold a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating. The catch for Irish buyers? Prices are in sterling. Sales lines are UK freephone numbers. Before paying, ask plainly if they install and monitor at her address in Cork.

Taking Care (UK). The company claims over 250,000 users. Alarms start from about £22.49 a month. Setup costs from £69.99. Most customers qualify as VAT exempt. Pay annually and get one free month. Same caveat: delivery terms cover England and Wales next-day. Confirm Irish installation directly.

Quick notes for the Republic

Who qualifies: 65 or over, living alone or with another over-65, with limited means.
How to apply: through a local community group registered with Pobal. Never through the HSE.
Year-two cost: monitoring is yours after year one. €66 a year at TASK, per Telecare.ie.
No landline: GSM alarms work. Budget €72 a year for the SIM.
Medical questions: an alarm is not a health check. See her GP for falls or dizziness.

If you only remember one thing

Ring the local community group first. The free monitored alarm exists in Ireland. It lives at Pobal. A volunteer in her parish holds the form. If she does not qualify, a monitored private alarm is still cheaper than most people fear.

Comparing the UK side too? Our guides to personal alarms for the elderly in the UK and medical alert systems in the UK cover the cross-border detail.

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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