Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 4

Written Answers. - Child Support.

Nora Owen

Question:

83 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which he will implement the announcement made in the budget that the domiciliary care payment would be made to all children from birth; the changes, if any, he has made to the regulations governing this payment; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there may be incidents where a child under the age of two although disabled would not qualify for the payment due to the strict regulations which govern the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8338/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I refer the Deputy to my response to earlier questions on this issue.

The Deputy will be aware that my predecessor, Deputy Brian Cowen, announced on budget day last year that additional funding would be made available from 1 January 2000 to support the application of the domiciliary care allowance scheme, introduced by way of Circular No. 24/73 dated 23 September 1973, to eligible children under two years of age.

This modification to the scheme was confined to the age eligibility criterion only. All health boards have been notified of this modification. I am assured that they are implementing the domiciliary care allowance scheme, including the 1999 modification. Other criteria, as outlined in Circular No. 24/73, have not been altered. It should be noted that the circular points out, inter alia, that:

"The fact that a severe handicap is present does not automatically justify the payment of an allowance . . . It is not intended that the Scheme should apply to short-term illnesses or disabilities – the handicap must be present at the time of application, have been present for at least six months prior to that date, and be likely to continue to last for at least a year. It is not visualised that any particular condition should be debarred from consideration – each case can be considered on its merits. . ."

The views of the health board chief executive officers and their senior area medical officers have already been sought on the issues raised by the Deputy.