The transfer of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme from the Health Service Executive to this Department arises from a Government decision on 28th February 2006 to reallocate certain functions between Departments and Agencies as part of the health service reform programme. The Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme is now a statutory scheme with the primary legislation provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008.
The Health Service Executive provided review dates during the migration of data to this Department in respect of cases in which there is a possibility of an improvement in the child's medical condition. In other cases no review date was provided, for example, in cases where the medical advice indicated that the child's condition is unlikely to improve. The Department will review the cases with scheduled review dates in due course as part of the Review and Control policy for the scheme.
Cases processed by the Department have a review date entered at the date of award, based on the recommendation of the Departments Medical advisor, having considered the child's medical prognosis.
Those people who currently receive Domiciliary Care allowance will continue to receive the allowance unless there is a change of circumstances in relation to the medical condition of their child or another change of circumstances that would mean they no longer satisfied the qualifying conditions for the scheme. All claimants are obliged to notify the Department of any change in their circumstances.