Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 February 2025
156. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a person can receive domiciliary carer's allowance past a child's sixteenth birthday or whether the child is required to apply for disability allowance. [3718/25]
View answerMy department provides the Domiciliary Care Allowance which is a monthly non-means tested payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability and requires care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age.
From January 2025, the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance increased from €340 to €360 per month. As of December, there were 57,132 families in receipt of the payment in relation to 64,429 children. Expenditure in 2025 is estimated at over €301 million.
Domiciliary Care Allowance ceases to be payable when a child reaches 16 years of age. The young person can then apply for Disability Allowance if they meet the eligibility requirements.
Disability Allowance is a long-term disability payment which is subject to a means test, medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement.
One of the key proposals in the Green Paper on Disability Reform, which my predecessor published in September 2023, was to extend Domiciliary Care Allowance to 18 years of age. In line with this change, the Paper proposed to also raise the qualifying age for Disability Allowance to age 18.
The Green Paper was a consultation document. Based on the feedback received during the public consultation, it became clear that there were significant concerns about the proposals in the Green Paper. Among these concerns, people in particular questioned whether it was appropriate to reform the system of disability payments separate to a wider consideration of other challenges faced by people with disabilities, including transport, health, education and access to employment.
The Department responded to these concerns and, in April 2024, it was announced that the proposals would not proceed any further.
As outlined in the Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future - the Government is committed to advancing the rights and improving the lives of people with disabilities.
A new Cabinet Committee on Children and Education and Disability was established last year. Any reform of disability payments, including Domiciliary Care Allowance, are being considered as part of this broader review of disability matters on a whole-of-government basis and will take account of the feedback received during the Green Paper process.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
