Ruth Coppinger
Question:57. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on extending eligibility for the domiciliary care allowance to persons aged under 18 years of age. [29700/15]
View answerThursday, 16 July 2015
Questions (57)
Written answers
The Deputy will be aware that I commissioned two reports relating to the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) scheme during 2012. One of these reports dealt specifically with the relationship between DCA and Disability Allowance (DA) for young adults. A recommendation to extend the age limit for receipt of DCA to 18 years of age was included in both of these reports, which were published in April 2013.
The reports found that there was a strong rationale for raising the DCA age threshold to 18 years. The recommendation is that this change should be made from a specific date, with the age threshold for payment of DCA to increase to age 18 for all new and existing claimants aged 16 and under on that date. On this same date the age threshold for payment of DA would change to age 18, to apply to new claimants only.
However, the Deputy will be aware that there are differing views on the best way to proceed so as to provide support to the group of people in question. While the recommendations of the reports will be kept under consideration as part of ongoing review of the wider disability area, there are no plans to change the age limits for receipt of DCA/DA at this time.