Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way decisions in relation to the awarding of domiciliary carer's allowance are made by her Department; if there is scope to change the time the allowance may be awarded from currently two years to a period which may reflect the medical need of the child and the probability that their condition is not going to change in the short to medium term; the number of domiciliary carers allowances currently being awarded; the number of cases relating to the former which are under review by her Department, the average time that appeals are taking to be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20350/12]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Social Protection in view of the recent review of those in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance, the number of children that have been left without this support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15128/12]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Social Protection in view of the recent review of those in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance, the number of children that have been left without this support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15131/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 36 and 99 together.

Domiciliary care allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment to the parent or guardian of a child under the age of 16 with a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age.

Eligibility for DCA 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.

The Department's Medical Assessor (MA) will undertake the following into account before giving his/her opinion on whether the child meets the medical criteria:

· Review the history of the case

· Consider all medical reports received

· Have regard to the description of the care and attention required by the child as set out by the parent/guardian.

The time frame for reviewing the medical eligibility in each case is recommended by the medical advisor when the application is initially awarded. This can vary between 12 months and 5 years or a 'do not refer again' recommendation can be made depending on the potential for the care needs of the child changing over time.

A review policy is an integral part of all social welfare schemes and is necessary to ensure that payments continue to be made only to those customers who meet the qualifying conditions.

There are currently over 24,000 customers receiving DCA in respect of over 26,000 children. The average timeframe to process an application is 8 weeks. Processing times for appeals are currently 28 weeks for a summary hearing and 38 weeks when an oral hearing is held.

Since September 2011, 213 of the DCA claims reviewed have been found to no longer have an entitlement to the allowance and payment in these cases has been stopped. Any customer who has had their child's eligibility reviewed and is not happy with the outcome has the right to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals office.