Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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131. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an urgent review of an application for domiciliary care allowance can take place in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43402/24]

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 requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and where the level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. This level of care and attention must be required to allow the child to deal with the activities of daily living in areas such as mobility, personal care, feeding / diet, communication, speech / language, sleeping, behaviour, safety, sensory issues, including any other additional needs.

Eligibility for DCA is not based entirely on the type of disability or diagnosis but primarily on the impact of the child's disability, in terms of the associated overall level of care and attention required by the child compared to a child of a similar age who does not have such a disability. The decision process that applies in the consideration of whether a child meets the conditions for DCA, includes the examination of all relevant factors identified as impacting on the child's additional care needs.

An application for DCA in respect of the child concerned was received by my Department on 26 August 2024. A Deciding Officer disallowed the claim as per decision dated 10 October 2024. Based on the information provided, the child was not considered to satisfy the conditions for DCA. This determination considered the supporting medical evidence that was provided by the applicant in their application. The Deciding Officer also had regard to the professional opinion of a departmental Medical Assessor in making their decision and a copy of this opinion was issued to the applicant for information along with the decision notification.

On foot of your request for a review of eligibility for DCA in this case, a full re-examination of this DCA application and my Department's original decision of 10 October 2024 will now be undertaken by a Deciding Officer. Once that review has been completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the decision in writing.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.