Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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515. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can provide an update on a request for a remote area grant for a child in County Kildare (details supplied), given that there are no seats available and no other bus routes available locally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52060/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, 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 and Youth.

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 the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so. 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 closing date for new applications for the 2025/26 school year was Friday, 25 April 2025 and the closing date for payment was Friday, 06 June 2025. If the application or payment is late they may not secure a seat on a service and will not be considered for a remote area grant.

Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to is attending his nearest post primary school/centre. However, payment was not received until 08 July 2025 and he is, therefore, not eligible for the Remote Area Grant under the terms of the scheme.

Bus Éireann has further advised that by the time payment was made the school transport service for the 2025/26 school year was operating at capacity.