Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding domiciliary care allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51935/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received in the Department on the 10th June 2009 and was awarded with effect from July 2009, the month after the application was received.

In August 2009 the person concerned appealed the date of award and asked for the application to be allowed from an earlier date, on the basis that there was good cause for the delay in making the claim. Having considered the request, the Social Welfare Appeals Office decided to allow backdating of the DCA claim to 1st April 2009, the date the Department of Social Protection took over responsibility for the administration of the DCA scheme from the HSE and the date that the relevant legislation came into effect.

The person concerned was notified of this decision on the 28th June 2010 and was advised that payment of DCA for any period prior to the 1st April 2009 remained the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, who previously administered the scheme.