Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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725. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 377 of 22 November 2022, if her office has liaised with the family in question regarding the remote area grant. [63824/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.  In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. 

The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €332.2m. 

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. 

Under the terms of my Department’s School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 km at primary and 4.8 km at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.  

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

The closing date for receipt of applications for the 2022/2023 school year was 29th April 2022. 

Bus Éireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy are eligible for school transport, however there is no service available from where these pupils reside to the schools they are attending. 

Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The Remote Area Grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 km or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

I am pleased to advise School Transport Section of my Department issued correspondence directly to the family regarding the Remote Area Grant on 22 November 2022.