2113. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the eligibility process for carer's allowance/disability allowance in cases where domiciliary care allowance has been discontinued due to the child turning 16 years-of-age. [63923/26]

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a non-means tested payment to a parent or guardian in respect of a child under 16 who has a severe disability and requires continuous care and attention, substantially more than what is typically required by a child of the same age.

In July, more than 65,293 families were receiving Domiciliary Care Allowance in respect of approximately 74,684 children. The estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2026 is almost €359 million.

Domiciliary Care Allowance stops being paid when a child turns 16 years of age. If the young person continues to have a disability that significantly impacts their daily living activities, they can then apply for a Disability Allowance payment in their own name of up to €254 per week. To avoid any gap in support, families can apply for Disability Allowance up to 3 months before the child’s 16th birthday.

Where a parent or guardian is also receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit, those payments may continue for as long as the qualifying conditions are met. The weekly income disregards for Carer’s Allowance increased to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple in July, the largest ever increase to the means test. The income disregard for Carer’s Benefit also increased from €625 to €1,000. The annual Carer’s Support Grant of €2,000 also remains payable where full?time care continues.

Any future reform of Domiciliary Care Allowance will be considered in the context of commitments set out in the Programme for Government and the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.