323 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Health and Children if acute asthma is included as an ailment for entitlement to domiciliary care allowance in circumstances where a child of three years of age suffers with this ailment and whose mother has to provide a level of care and attention significantly above what would be required for a healthy child of three years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11524/07]

Domiciliary Care Allowance may be paid, as the Deputy is aware, in respect of eligible children from birth to the age of 16 who have a severe disability requiring continual or continuous attention which is substantially in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age. Eligibility is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required rather than to the type of disability involved.