Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of domiciliary care allowance; the number of applications on file awaiting a decision; the extent to which the process can be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19499/20]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The latest figures available for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) show that as at 30th June 2020 there were 43,478 individual customers receiving the payment in respect of 48,038 children.

On June 30th 2020, there were 725 applications on hand pending decision. The processing targets for DCA section is to finalise 90% of applications within 10 weeks. In June, this target was exceeded with over 95% of new applications processed within the target timeframe while the average processing time was just under 7 weeks. Given the complexity of the decision making process for DCA and the current processing timeline being achieved, it is difficult to envisage how the time required to make decisions could be expedited further.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.