Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Deputy Finian McGrath will be aware that the domiciliary care allowance has been in place for some years. He is also aware that it transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Social Protection some time ago and that when that took place, review dates were set for the allowances being paid out at the time. The domiciliary care allowance is subject to a set of conditions and they are monitored by medical assessment, not as a consequence of political policy. The recipients of the domiciliary care allowance are entitled to avail of the appeals process but the decision was based on medical assessment as distinct from any other criterion. That was signalled clearly when the domiciliary care allowance was transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Social Protection and the review dates were set. Any reductions are due to decisions made on the basis of medical assessment, not as a consequence of political policy.

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