Written answers

Friday, 7 September 2018

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1223. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the domiciliary care allowance is only paid up until a child’s 16th birthday rather than 18 as is the children’s allowance; and if raising the age limit to 18 years of age has been considered. [35811/18]

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) ceases to be payable when a child reaches age 16 years. Disability Allowance (DA) can then be paid from age 16 if the qualifying conditions for that scheme are met. 

Following a commitment made in the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities 2015 -2024, the “Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities” (MWP) report was published in April 2017.  The report undertook to better identify how people with disabilities could be supported to achieve their employment ambitions.  A number of MWP report recommendations focussed on the need to support young adults through education, training and social inclusion according to their capacity, and to change the qualifying age for disability allowance from 16 to 18 years of age while leaving Domiciliary Care allowance in payment where applicable to 18 years of age. 

An extensive national consultation process was organised to engage people with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities, and sectoral representatives to seek their views on the specific recommendations in the report and this has recently concluded.

A report on this consultation process is being prepared and will be taken into account by Government before any decision is made on the recommendations.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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