Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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530. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason children (details supplied) in County Cavan were in receipt of bus tickets, but then were told that they would not be able to be collected by the bus, despite being picked up initially; if provision will be made to allow the bus service to be made available to these children, if the contractor so agrees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18162/15]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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531. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the remote area grant is not made available to eligible families at the beginning of the school year; if families, who are deemed eligible for school transport, but who are told there is no service available, may access this grant before the school year, or as soon as possible after it, in order to ensure children can access school; if, and when, children (details supplied) in County Cavan will have access to this grant, now they have been told there is no service available to them. [18163/15]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 530 and 531 together.

In general, under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school.

Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for determining eligibility for school transport and for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes.

Bus Éireann has advised that the children in question are eligible for school transport.

Bus Éireann also advised that although tickets were issued to these children, there is currently no school transport service available to them.

Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may, following an application process for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements.

The closing date for receipt of applications for the 2014/15 school year was Friday 25th April 2014.

The family referred to by the Deputy did not apply for transport until March 2015; as a result they will be considered for transport or the Remote Area Grant for the 2015-16 school year.