Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 503: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the qualifying criteria for domiciliary care allowance; if it is the case that parents of autistic children are deemed ineligible; if so, the reason for same; the customer service targets in relation to dealing with appeals of domiciliary care allowance; the average length of time it takes to process appeals in respect of this allowance; the reason for the delay in an application by a person (details supplied); and the target date for reaching a decision. [1979/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly allowance administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE). Eligible children from birth to the age of 16 who are living at home and who have a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention which is substantially in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age may qualify. The condition must be likely to last for at least one year.

Eligibility is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required by the child rather than to the type of disability involved, subject to the means test. As the Deputy's questions partly relate to service matters and a named individual I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.