Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I put it to the Deputy that there were advertisements in the newspaper recently relating to the review being carried out and an invitation to interested individuals or organisations. Certainly, I will ask the officials of the Department to re-advise any of the caring organisations that the review is ongoing and that they have been asked to make submissions. I understand they are all aware of it but I will re-check the position.

Some 1,700 domiciliary care allowance cases are scheduled to be reviewed in 2012. This issue arises as part of the review process as well and it is often indicated when the domiciliary care allowance is first given. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh will appreciate, in the case of some conditions affecting children there may be - hopefully there will be - a recovery while in other cases where there is a lifelong disability, there may not. Overall approximately 40% of all claims are awarded the allowance. The success rate does not vary to any significant degree between claims relating to intellectual and physical disabilities. The success rate for claims relating to intellectual and physical disabilities is similar. I recognise that question has been raised by some people.

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