A Kerry TD is calling for the government to re-establish a once-off grant to assist elderly people during the pandemic.
Sinn Féin deputy Pa Daly is urging the government to cooperate with Age Action Ireland and the Irish Red Cross in conjunction with their Covid-19 Hardship Fund.
The fund which was launched in April, is designed to provide a once-off grant for people over 65 to purchase resources such as additional fuel, smart tablets for communicating with family members, or to cover increased grocery bills due to cocooning.
Deputy Daly says over 21,000 applications were received nationwide with €103,000 fundraised, yet only 453 applications have been granted.
The Kerry TD says the charities petitioned the Department of Social Protection to provide assistance in meeting demand for the grant, however those calls were ignored.
Daly says many vulnerable elderly people were left with no additional financial support during this difficult and lonely time. He also says he is being contacted regularly by constituents wondering why they were denied the grant.
The Sinn Fein TD claims the elderly have been overlooked and discarded by governments.
