Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I have actually started the process of looking at all the forms in the Department. This entire office probably engages with all the forms on a daily basis. I would certainly like to get feedback from all the Deputies. We looked at the DCA form during the year. We engaged with DCA recipients and carers' advocacy groups, which improved the process. We provided additional information and online videos. I want to make the process as seamless as possible. I am very conscious of this and I keep reminding the officials in my Department that parents who are applying for DCA are going through really difficult journeys and that we have siloed them and are making their lives very difficult. We want to try to make this as easy a process as possible, bearing in mind that there need to be controls. We need to make this process as easy as possible.

We have prioritised DCA appeals throughout 2025. There are currently 420 DCA appeals in hand. That figure in January 2025 was 1,700. Of the 420, 92% have been received since August 2025. I have made a very direct decision to focus on DCA appeals. It is going to kick out some other appeals but I really want to make sure that we do these forms properly and that they are not re-traumatising parents who are already in very difficult daily situations.

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