To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development how her Department is working to eradicate rural poverty, particularly among older people.

Through the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Framework my department has provided £16 million over the past 4 years to implement a package of measures to help address a range of poverty and social isolation issues for the most vulnerable rural dwellers across the north of Ireland including the elderly. I have made £4m available for investment this year which will allow successful initiatives to continue including the Connecting Elderly Rural Isolated (CERI) Programme which supports independent living and the Assisted Rural Travel Scheme (ARTS) which mainly benefits the elderly and disabled. The Maximising Access Rural Areas (MARA) programme also benefits a high number of the elderly (56% of clients over 65). Funding will also continue for the Farm Families Health Checks Programme (25% of clients over 65), the Rural Support charity, the Rural Micro Capital Grants Programme and Community Development, all of which in different ways benefit the elderly in addressing poverty and social isolation.

The Micro Capital Grants Programme is currently open for applications. Funding is targeted at making life better for those in isolated and deprived rural areas and many organisations, including those that provide support for the elderly, will benefit from the Programme.