More families head to court to secure DCA payment from Department

More families are bringing court challenges against the Department of Social Protection over its refusal to grant them Domiciliary Care Allowance, and in many cases are bypassing the department’s appeals system altogether.

It has emerged that at least 70 cases have been taken by parents to secure the monthly payment on behalf of their children.

The DCA payment is made to the carer of a child with a severe disability who lives at home. Solicitor Gareth Noble of KOD Lyons, which has represented many of those challenging their refusal of DCA, said in recent months approximately 40 cases have been “successfully resolved” on the part of the applicant.