731. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is considered a disability for disability payment purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13676/24]

Heather Humphreys, Minister for Social Protection: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  These include contributory payments based on PRSI contributions, such as Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension, and non-contributory payments based on a means test, such as Disability Allowance.

Entitlement to these supports is contingent on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.  It is not dependent on the nature of the illness or disability.

Every application for the Department's schemes is individually assessed, based on the medical information provided by healthcare providers and the claimant and taking into account the opinion of the Department’s Medical Assessor.

As well as income supports, my Department also provides supports for parents and guardians who care for children with additional needs.

Domiciliary Care Allowance is one such support.  It is a monthly payment to a parent or guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability and requires care and attention substantially over and above that usually needed by a child of the same age.  The payment is not means-tested.  There is no restriction on the number of children for whom a person may claim the payment.  In other words, where a person is caring for more than one child who qualifies for Domiciliary Care Allowance, they may claim the monthly allowance for each.

Since January, the rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance increased from €330 to €340 per month.  This monthly payment has increased by €30.50 under this Government.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.