Vol. 473 No. 3
77 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in receipt of a domiciliary care allowance either in the Dublin region or nationally; the medical conditions which apply to payments being made; the standards which apply; and the percentage of parents with blind/poor sighted albino children who qualify. [25165/96]
Limerick East): Domiciliary care allowance is paid by health boards in respect of children between the ages of two and 16 years who are so severely physically or mentally disabled that they need care and attention which is considerably in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age.
There were 2,249 recipients of the domiciliary care allowance (DCA) in the Dublin region and 8,125 recipients nationally as at 31 December 1995.
The area medical officers of health boards assess the eligibility of each applicant to the scheme. Eligibility for the DCA is determined primarily by reference to the level of care and attention which the child requires rather than the type of disability involved. However the child's disability-handicap must have been present for at least six months prior to the date of application and must be likely to continue for at least one year.
Information regarding the percentage of parents with blind or poor sighted albino children, who qualify for DCA is not avaialble.
