Vol. 550 No. 1
119 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to increase the maximum rate of domiciliary care allowance; if his attention has been drawn to the substantial shortfall between the costs of raising a special needs child and this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7395/02]
The domiciliary care allowance, DCA, is a monthly allowance paid by health boards to eligible children up to the age of 16 years whose disability is so severe that they require care and attention which is considerably in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age. DCA is paid in addition to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs child benefit. Recipients of DCA also qualify for the respite care grant which in 2002 will amount to €635 where there is one DCA recipient in a family and €1270 where there are two or more DCA recipients in a family.
The rate of DCA increases each year in line with social welfare increases. DCA was increased from €164.30, £129.40, to €179.80, effective from 1 January 2002. There are no plans to further increase this rate in 2002.
