Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 November 2025
121. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider introducing an automatic or simplified transition mechanism for children who meet the criteria for domiciliary care allowance to continue receiving support through disability allowance at the age of 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62168/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDomiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly non-means-tested payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability. The child must require care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age.
Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance ceases when a child reaches 16 years of age. This aligns with the age of eligibility for Disability Allowance. If the young person continues to have a disability that significantly impacts their daily life, they can then apply for a Disability Allowance payment in their own right of €244 per week. If their parent or guardian continues to provide full-time care they can then retain, or apply for, a carer's payment. However, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Disability Allowance are designed for different purposes.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a payment to assist parents who have a child whose care needs are greater than that of other children of the same age. Eligibility is not means tested or based on social insurance contributions.
Disability Allowance is a means-tested income support payment for people whose illness or disability means that they are substantially restricted from doing work that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications. As such, the eligibility conditions for the schemes are different and it would not be appropriate to introduce a system whereby a person was simply moved directly from one scheme to the other on reaching age 16.
Any future reform of disability or carers payments, including Domiciliary Care Allowance, will be considered in the context of our commitments in the Programme for Government and the recently published National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
