Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 March 2014
97. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford was not awarded domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11225/14]
View answerAn application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 21st November 2012. This application was considered by a deciding officer with the benefit of the opinion of one of the Department’s Medical Assessors, who considered that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance as the medical reports furnished did not indicate that the level of care required met the DCA medical criteria. A letter issued on the 12th February 2013 outlining the decision to refuse the allowance.
The person concerned subsequently provided additional information and lodged an appeal against this decision. The application, together with all the information furnished, was considered by another of the Department’s Medical Assessors who did not consider that the medical criteria for the scheme were satisfied. In the circumstances a revised decision was not considered to be warranted and the application was forwarded for further consideration by the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
The person concerned was informed by the Appeals Office on the 8th October 2013 that the appeal had not been allowed. Further correspondence issued from the Appeals Office on 14th January 2014 indicating that the requested revision of the Appeals Officer’s decision was not considered to be warranted.
