Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2014
89. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a decision made by his Department regarding a student boarding grant (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30004/14]
View answerUnder the Remote Area Boarding Grant scheme, provision is made for the payment of grants in respect of pupils whose normal place of residence is outside the range of public transport services to a school providing suitable free second-level education. The scheme was introduced in conjunction with the Free Post-Primary Education scheme in the 1967/68 school year. Under the terms of the scheme, a second-level school is a school 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. To qualify for a boarding grant, an applicant must (a) be normally resident in the state; and (b) be resident at least 4.8 km from a second-level school where suitable free second-level education is available and more than 3.2 km from a pick-up point on a transport service to such a school; and (c) be unable to obtain a place in a suitable second-level school within 25 km of his/her normal place of residence; and (d) be a pupil in a second-level school providing free second-level education.
The pupil referred to by the Deputy does not meet the qualifying criteria as set out above, as the pupil resides less than 25km from the nearest all-Irish medium post primary school.
