Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

In regard to the suggestion by some of the advocacy groups that children with autism have a lower rate of success than children with other disabilities, this is not the case. I am aware there may be such a perception among some of the advocacy groups that children with mild intellectual disabilities are unfairly assessed in the domiciliary allowance care process and that they are more likely to have their claim disallowed. The statistics indicate that this is not true. Overall the success rate for claims relating to intellectual versus physical disability is very similar.

I stress that eligibility for the allowance is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. Each application is assessed on an individual basis taking account of the evidence submitted. In addition, the person claiming allowance for the child must be providing for the care of the child and must be considered habitually resident in the State. Overall approximately 46% of all claims are awarded the allowance and the success rate does not vary to any significant degree between claims relating to an intellectual or physical disability.

I have heard the suggestion made by some individuals that the Department's medical assessors should carry out the assessment personally in regard to the child. People would need to think long and hard about that. There would need to be consultation with the groups. I remind Members that responsibility for disability payments was transferred from the HSE to the Department of Social Protection because it was seen very much as an income support. The number of people who have been awarded disability invalidity and children's domiciliary care allowance has grown very significantly since responsibility for those payments were transferred.

If the Senator is suggesting that rather than the child's medical advisers, medical attendants, consultants and other advisers presenting the reports on the child who is their patient, all that work would be, as it were, done again by the Department, she would be probably be suggesting a model where one would go back to the HSE because the Department would not be resourced to do that. The Senator is talking about a very profound change. One presumes children as well would be more comfortable with their own medical experts, their own GP, and the various experts who work with the child and who then make a professional report. The Department has a stakeholders group involving disability organisations and parents of children with a disability. The subject would need to be given extremely detailed consideration.