John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to change the conditions of the remote area grant scheme to allow transition year students to attend a Gaeltacht college outside of their area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10667/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The purpose of the Remote Area Boarding Grant is to give pupils who are educationally disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as other pupils not so disadvantaged. Grants are paid for pupils whose normal place of residence is outside the range of public transport services to a school providing suitable free second-level education. To qualify for a boarding grant, an applicant must be:

normally resident in the State; and

resident at least 4.8 km from a second-level school where suitable free second-level education is available and more than 3.2 km from a pick-up point on a transport service to such a school; and

unable to obtain a place in a suitable second-level school within 25 km of his/her normal place of residence.

Pupils resident on off-shore islands that do not have a school providing suitable free second-level education may also qualify for assistance under the scheme.

I do not have any plans to amend the scheme to permit pupils who do not otherwise qualify for the grant to attend Irish-medium schools during transition year.