The Smarter Travel policy which is aimed at delivering sustainable transport, embraces activities across many Government Departments. Within my own Department various elements of expenditure contribute to the delivery of Smarter Travel, including the public transport investment under Transport 21, which in 2009 includes a provision of €2 million for sustainable transport measures.
I assume the Question refers to the allocation of specific funding for new initiatives outside the Transport 21 envelope under Smarter Travel. There are two particular allocations, which are relevant in 2009, the capital allocation of €10 million for carbon reduction measures and a sum of €2 million under current expenditure for the Green Schools Travel Programme.
In relation to the latter the criteria for delivery of this programme include the number of schools and schoolchildren to be reached by the programme and targets for reduction in car travel to and from and school and for increased walking and cycling. The criteria and targets are captured in a formal Service Level Agreement between my Department and the Dublin Transportation Office.
In relation to the capital allocation of €10 million for 2009, much of this is focused on demonstration cycling projects to begin the radical transformation of cycling provision in Ireland. Submissions are received from Local Authorities and the key criterion is that the project must be exemplary in providing for cyclists by being largely off-road and of sufficient width to accommodate two-way cycling in most cases. The capital allocation also supports the Smarter Travel Project Fund and the Smarter Travel Areas Fund both of which I launched this year and the criteria for which can be accessed on www.smartertravel.ie