Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

Questions (160)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

160. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to change the current practice of ending domiciliary care allowance for parents of children with systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis once those children are 16 years old; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by families that do not wish to expose their children to the stress of appearing before a panel to be assessed for disability allowance. [41031/14]

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Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Domiciliary care allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of qualified children to age 16 years, after which they may apply for disability allowance (DA) in their own right.

The DCA review group made a recommendation in its report that the age limit for DCA should be extended to 18 years for all qualified children, with entitlement to DA starting from age 18 years. The report was published in April 2013. Any change in this regard will be considered in the context of the reform of illness and disability supports.

Assessment of eligibility for disability allowance is undertaken by way of a desk assessment, based on a consideration of the completed application form together with any medical or other supporting evidence provide by the applicant. As such, there is no physical medical examination involved and no requirement for the applicant to appear in person to be assessed.

Question No. 161 withdrawn.