Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 24 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 6

Written Answers. - Domiciliary Care Allowance.

Michael Creed

Ceist:

54 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to amend the rules applicable to the domiciliary care allowance to enable payment of the allowance by health boards within the six month lead in period; and his views on whether the current rule creates unnecessary hardship for parents in need of the allowance where, for example, a child is diagnosed with cancer and intensive treatment is immediately required. [14414/00]

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

151 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to amend the rules applicable to domiciliary care allowance to enable payment of the allowance by health boards within the six month lead in period; and his views on whether the current rule creates unnecessary hardship for parents in need of the allowance where, for example, a child is diagnosed with cancer and intensive treatment is immediately required. [14419/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 151 together.

The domiciliary care allowance scheme is administered by health boards on my behalf. The allowance is paid in respect of eligible children under 16 years who are severely physically or mentally disabled and who require constant care and supervision at home substantially greater than that which would normally be required by a child of the same age.

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. Other criteria, as outlined in Circular No. 24/73, have not been altered. 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. . .

I fully appreciate the demanding role facing parents and guardians of children of all ages with a disability. Officials of my Department are in consultation with the health board chief executive officers and their senior area medical officers about the issues raised by the Deputies. The process has not yet reached a conclusion.