Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason she gives notice to recipients of domiciliary care allowance to reapply only two months ahead of the cessation date when currently her Department takes five to six months to consider new applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7863/12]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a natural transition does not occur for benefits of a child (details supplied) with Autism who's parent is receiving domiciliary care allowance to receiving disability allowance at the child's 16th birthday when the diagnosis has not changed nor have the means of the family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7901/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 327 together.

Since November 2011, recipients of domiciliary care allowance (DCA) have been given 4 months advance notice in writing of their child reaching 16 years and the end of the payment of DCA. They are advised that their child may be entitled to receive a disability allowance (DA) payment in their own right and of how to make such a claim. Prior to November 2011, the notice period was 8 weeks, but this was adjusted to advise customers to make application for DA well in advance of the child's 16th birthday.

The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria of the scheme. The average time to award a claim in 2011 was 17 weeks. Disability allowance section is currently undertaking a major service delivery modernisation project to improve the efficiency with which it processes applications from customers which should lead to faster processing times.

The qualifying conditions for DCA and DA are significantly different and as a result, an automatic transfer from one payment to the other is not feasible. The qualifying conditions include a means test on DA where none applies to DCA, while there are also differences in the medical criteria applicable to the two schemes. In addition, payment of DA is made directly to the child, whereas DCA is paid to the parent/guardian of the child.

Question No. 322 withdrawn.