John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will have the respite care grant issued in view of the circumstances. [14159/04]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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In 1999 the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs introduced the respite care grant for recipients of carer's allowance. In 2000 it was extended to beneficiaries of domiciliary care allowance. At the time the following was decided: the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs would be responsible for paying the respite care grant to those providing care who are beneficiaries of the carers allowance or benefit only, or the carers allowance or benefit and domiciliary care allowance; and the Department of Health and Children, via health boards, would be responsible for paying the respite care grant to those providing care who are beneficiaries of domiciliary care allowance but who are not in receipt of the carers allowance or benefit.

The domiciliary care allowance is paid to recipients up to the age of 16 years. Therefore, the respite care grant cannot be paid by the health board after the child reached that age. To be eligible for the grant from the Department of Social and Family Affairs the applicant must be in receipt of the carers allowance or the carers benefit.