Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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70. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that it is fair or reasonable that reviews under the Domiciliary Care Allowance Scheme are taking three months to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46630/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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When a review of a domiciliary care allowance claim is requested all information provided is assessed and reviewed by a deciding officer. The deciding officer also requests a further medical assessor’s opinion to ensure that all relevant medical and other factors are fully considered in each case. While every effort is made to complete reviews as quickly as possible, the process takes time to complete and such reviews are currently taking 12 weeks to finalise.

A review of the decision in the case of the person concerned was requested on the 10th October 2015 and additional information on the child’s condition/care needs was supplied at that time. The application together with the new information supplied was forwarded to a medical assessor for a further professional opinion prior to being re-examined by a deciding officer.

The review of this application has now been completed. The deciding officer does not consider that a revised decision is warranted, as the child is not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance at this time. A letter outlining the position issued to the person concerned on the 7th January 2016.