Vol. 465 No. 7
88 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the reason her Department is unwilling to make a remote areas boarding grant available to pupils from Inishbofin Island, who wish to attend as boarders in Kylemore Abbey School, in view of the fact that there is no other girls' boarding school in County Galway accepting enrolments for first year students for the school year 1996-97; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10581/96]
89 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the provisions, if any, she has made to provide secondary educational facilities to islanders from Inishbofin Island under the remote boarding grant scheme, in view of the fact that there is no girls' boarding school accepting pupils for first year in the County of Galway that are in the free secondary school education scheme and whose boarding fees are less that £1,750; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10582/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 89 together.
Under the terms of the free post-primary education scheme, provision exists for a scheme of grants towards boarding or lodging costs in respect of pupils whose homes are outside the range of transport services to a second level school providing suitable free post-primary education.
To qualify for the grant, an applicant must be a recognised pupil in a second level school in which the boarding fee charged to parents does not exceed £1,750 per pupil per annum from the commencement of the school year 1995-96.
Where it is not feasible for a pupil to attend a boarding school, or where the boarding fee charged to parents exceeds £1,750, a pupil may receive a grant towards the cost of lodging while attending a day school participating in the free post-primary education scheme.
As the boarding fee at Kylemore Abbey school exceeds £1,750, a pupil attending the school as a boarder would not qualify for assistance. However, if a pupil from Inishbofin wishes to attend the school as a day pupil, a grant towards the cost of lodgings may be payable under the scheme.
