Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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24. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has completed the review of the domiciliary care allowance; the outcome of the review; the actions that will now be taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43341/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The review of the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) scheme, which I initiated in May 2012, was completed in December 2012. The report of the review was published in April 2013. The recommendations in the report of the review of the DCA scheme can be divided into administrative changes, which streamline, simplify and make the process more transparent for parents/guardians, and policy recommendations. The findings of the report have been widely welcomed by parents/guardians and their representatives groups and the Department is actively working on implementing the administrative changes recommended in the report.

To date an implementation group has been established with representatives of parents groups, other departments/disability groups, to oversee the implementation of the administrative recommendations in the report. The group has met on a number of occasions and this work is progressing well.

An external service provider has been contracted to work on implementing the necessary IT system changes required to support the administrative changes recommended. It is planned to have the administrative recommendations completed and implemented in Q1 of 2014.