Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason it is necessary for people in receipt of domiciliary allowance to obtain a letter from their doctor every year stating that the person who they are caring for has autism; her plans to change the system to awarding domiciliary allowance on a long-term basis; and if her attention has been drawn to any case of a person having autism, no longer being autistic. [17966/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Domiciliary Care Allowance may be paid, as the Deputy is aware, in respect of eligible children from birth to the age of 16 who have a severe disability requiring continual or continuous attention which is substantially in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age. Eligibility is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required rather than to the type of disability involved. As stated in the circular, which governs Domiciliary Care Allowance, Medical Reviews on recipients are carried out based on the recommendation of the Senior Area Medical Officer/Area Medical Officer.