Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 773: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications for domiciliary care allowance received and the number refused by her Department since it took over the administration of the scheme on 1 April 2009; the number of same which were from children with an autism spectrum disorder; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1819/10]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the period 1st April 2009 to 31st December 2009 a total of 3,389 applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance were received in the required format by the Department. Of these, 2,823 cases have been fully processed to date, 1,031 were awarded and 1,792 were deemed not to be eligible, a 36.5% allowance rate. 566 applications are currently pending decision.

Of the processed applications in 2009, 286 applications had a recorded medical condition of Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder, 125 of which have been deemed eligible and 161 have been deemed not eligible for Domiciliary Care Allowance, a 44% allowance rate.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 774: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will conduct a review of all domiciliary care allowance claims since becoming responsible for all applications on 1 September 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1820/10]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The transfer of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme from the Health Service Executive to this Department arises from a Government decision on 28th February 2006 to reallocate certain functions between Departments and Agencies as part of the health service reform programme. The Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme is now a statutory scheme with the primary legislation provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008.

The Health Service Executive provided review dates during the migration of data to this Department in respect of cases in which there is a possibility of an improvement in the child's medical condition. In other cases no review date was provided, for example, in cases where the medical advice indicated that the child's condition is unlikely to improve. The Department will review the cases with scheduled review dates in due course as part of the Review and Control policy for the scheme.

Cases processed by the Department have a review date entered at the date of award, based on the recommendation of the Departments Medical advisor, having considered the child's medical prognosis.

Those people who currently receive Domiciliary Care allowance will continue to receive the allowance unless there is a change of circumstances in relation to the medical condition of their child or another change of circumstances that would mean they no longer satisfied the qualifying conditions for the scheme. All claimants are obliged to notify the Department of any change in their circumstances.

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