Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly allowance payable to a parent/guardian in respect of a child aged under 16, who has a severe disability or condition and requires continual or continuous care and attention in the home, substantially over and above the care and attention normally required by children of the same age and the child must be likely to require full time care and attention for at least 12 months. Eligibility for DCA is established primarily and essentially by reference to the degree of ongoing additional care and attention required by the child rather than the child's disability/disabilities.

An application for DCA in respect of their child was received from the person concerned on 19 June 2019. Their application was disallowed as per decision dated 03 September 2019, as their child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA.

A further application in respect of the child concerned, including new additional information and updated documentary evidence, was subsequently received from the applicant on 18 November 2021. This re-application was disallowed by a deciding officer on 07 March 2022, as their child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA based on the information and evidence provided by the person concerned.

In relation to DCA, it is open to the person concerned to request a review(s) of the deciding officer's decision of 07 March 2022 and this right is not time limited. If requesting a (further) review of a deciding officer's decision, an applicant may provide any further new relevant information or documentary evidence that was not previously available to the department for further consideration.

Additionally, the applicant also has the right to subsequently appeal any review decision directly to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO), including in cases where the deciding officer's original decision is upheld following a review(s)

It should also be noted that a person may qualify for Disability Allowance (DA) from age 16, even while attending fulltime education, subject to satisfying all qualifying conditions for that scheme, including the medical criteria and a means test.

Carer's Allowance, is a means tested payment for persons, who are providing care to a qualified person, who requires full-time care and attention. Where the caree is a child aged under 16, the child must be in receipt of DCA.

Carer's Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment which is automatically payable to carers who are in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. However, CSG may also be payable on a standalone basis to persons who are not in receipt of one of the above qualifying payments, who are providing full-time care to a person, including children aged under 16, subject to satisfying all criteria for the payment. Application forms for CSG are available from the local Intreo Centre or Branch Office.

The person concerned may also contact their local Intreo Centre or Branch Office in relation to the Department's Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, relating to possible entitlement to related financial supports such as an additional or exceptional needs payment if appropriate.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.