Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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267. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review a remote area boarding grant application in respect of a student (details supplied) from Killorglin, County Kerry; if she will clarify the criteria applied by her Department in determining that an alternative school within 25km is considered suitable for the purposes of eligibility for the remote area boarding grant; if she will take into account the transport difficulties involved for a 15-year-old student travelling daily from Killorglin to Tralee and the particular family circumstances outlined; if the application can be reconsidered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23328/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Remote Area Boarding Grant is to provide students who are disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as students not so disadvantaged.

The terms of this scheme are set out in Circular 0016/2016 which is published on the department’s website at - gov.ie - Remote Area Boarding Grant scheme (www.gov.ie)

Under the terms of the scheme, a second-level school is a school which is recognised by the department for the purpose of providing the prescribed certificate courses, which enters its students for the State examinations and is subject to inspection by the department.

As per the circular above, the pupil must be resident 4.8 km or more from a second-level school where suitable free second-level education is available, and be more than 3.2 km from a pick-up point on a transport service to such a school, and must be unable to obtain a place in a suitable second-level school within 25 km of his/her normal place of residence, and should provide written confirmation of same.

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.

For pupils requiring an Irish medium education the outlined criteria will be applied to the nearest second-level school providing instruction through Irish.

The curriculum choices provided by a school (including the provision or otherwise of transition year) within 25 km of the applicant’s normal place of residence will not be a factor in the determination of eligibility for the award of a grant.

An applicant can contact the department to request a review of their application by emailing rabg@education.gov.ie.