Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 336: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is carrying out a review of the domiciliary care allowance; the purpose of this review; and if the review applies to all recipients. [11442/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Domiciliary care allowance (DCA) has been administered by my Department since April 2009, when responsibility for the scheme transferred from the Health Service Executive.

DCA cases are routinely reviewed to ensure that the conditions for receipt of the payment continue to be met. Cases are reviewed based on either the recommendation of the medical assessor (MA) when the claim was initially processed, or on the basis of information received about a change of circumstances which could potentially affect the continued entitlement of a case already in payment.

Scheduled reviews, on the recommendation of the MA, are based on the prognosis of the child's disability and how their condition may improve over time. A review date is entered when the claim is initially awarded, as recommended by the MA.

The review interval will vary from 12 months in cases where the child's disability is likely to improve significantly in the short-term, to a 5 or 10 years review date if the child's condition is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. In circumstances where a child has a lifelong disability that is unlikely to improve by any significant degree, a "do not review again" status may be recommended and such cases are not included in the review programme.