Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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223. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite an application for remote access grant by persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4331/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

Currently in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

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 as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

This family in question are eligible for school transport but there is currently no service operating from where they reside. 

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

In this regard the grant is payable from the beginning of the 2015/16 school year and payment for this year will be processed when the family submit their payee details information.