Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 December 2021
10. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Transport the steps he is taking to extend the roll-out of the safe routes to school programme in 2022; the current status of the implementation of the programme for successful schools in counties Limerick and Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62254/21]
View answerI refer to the safe school scheme in Limerick.
There were eight schools granted entry in a recent round. Of those, two were secondary schools and six were primary schools. They were all city-based and that is to be welcomed. When will the Department expedite the roll-out of this scheme to all the schools that have applied in Limerick and north County Tipperary? We have villages like Newport, Castleconnell, Moroe, Caherconlish and Birdhill as well. The Minister of State might give us an update on where the scheme is at.
In March 2021 the Minister and I were delighted to launch the safe routes to school, SRTS, programme which will support active travel infrastructure for selected schools around the country. The programme aims to support walking, scooting and cycling to primary and post-primary schools and to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities. This will help alleviate congestion at school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by providing the necessary infrastructure.
All schools were eligible to apply to the programme and information was circulated from the Departments of Education and Transport to schools nationwide. By the deadline of 16 April, 931 applications had been received from schools in every county in Ireland. Following that, 170 schools were notified on 21 June that they have been selected for inclusion in the first round of the safe routes to school programme, including eight schools in Limerick and two schools in Tipperary.
Funding of €15 million has been allocated for projects at the 170 schools included in round 1. The subsequent schools will be engaged with on a rolling basis in each local authority area. This funding is being provided from the €1.8 billion funding earmarked in the programme for Government to support sustainable transport. It is important to note that all active travel funding looks to improve links to schools where possible, not only the safe routes to school programme. The required investment at each school will be dependent on the changes required in each particular case. As most interventions at or near applicable schools will take time to implement, especially if they require planning permission, the €15 million budget will extend beyond 2022. The budget for the cycle parking element of the safe routes to school programme in 2022 will be €3 million.
The schools selected were assessed against a range of criteria including school type, location and the school’s commitment to sustainable travel. Schools that have applied this year and that have not been included in the first round of funding will not be required to reapply as they will be included on a rolling basis. Thus, we will get through the first 170 and then it will be rolling after that. Hence there are no plans for an additional call for schools to join the programme.
On the rolling basis, let us say eight schools in Limerick were selected with two being secondary schools and six being primary schools. If one school is completed, does another school automatically come in then in Limerick? It is great we see eight city-based schools being included in the safe routes to schools programme under this round. However, we have schools in villages in rural areas. In north County Tipperary we have the likes of Newport and Birdhill. In County Limerick we have Castleconnell, Moroe and Caherconlish. Then we have rural schools. When do they come into the programme?
It is such an innovative idea. It ticks every box with respect to climate change, active travel and health. It should be expedited. Extra funding should be put in to get this rolled out faster. I note there are extra staff being taken on by the Green Schools initiative in An Taisce, the NTA and the local authorities. Will the Minister of State explain the mechanism for when the works will commence for the other schools that did not get on the first list but have been approved? Is it based on one school joining when another finishes?
I know the Deputy is very aware of the schools in Limerick that were selected. They are Gaelscoil Sáirséal, St. Nessan’s National School, Scoil Íde, St. Paul's National School, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, An Mhodhscoil, Limerick School Project National School and St. Munchin's College in Corbally. In Tipperary they were Gaelscoil Chluain Meala and Loreto Secondary School. It is important to note the other 29 schools in Limerick and the 22 in Tipperary that have applied this year but have not been included in the first round of funding will not be required to reapply. They will come into the programme on this rolling basis. There are different stages. Once a school is completed the local authority moves on to the next schools that have been successful as part of the roll-out to the first 170.
It is also important to say safe routes to school programme funding is only one part of the active travel programme. Schools can work directly with local authorities around other active travel projects outside the programme. As the Deputy knows, we have €360 million funding per year for walking and cycling infrastructure that local authorities can tap into also, within towns and villages.
I welcome the fact 29 schools have been included under the 932 and that there are 32 in Tipperary. It is about the mechanism for me. Is there a time limit on when the local authorities must have the eight schools in Limerick and two in Tipperary that have been selected done? I ask that the Minister of State, as she has responsibility for this programme, look to see how we can expedite it. This is a win-win. This is something every parent, child and local area would buy into. The fact we are doing 170 schools this year is to be welcomed but I would like to see an awful lot more done. Will the Minister of State commit to looking at the programme to see what can be done? There is €260 million provided every year for active travel. What can we do to expedite the roll-out? Of the 29 schools in Limerick, is that the number yet to be done or the total number in Limerick? I will assume 29 is the number that got through. Of those, eight have got it. When can the 21 remaining schools be completed? In Tipperary two schools got it and 20 remain. When will they be reached? I ask that the Minister of State look to see how we can expedite the roll-out of the programme because this is something that is welcome in the city and urban areas and in villages and rural areas.
This is a priority for us. At the moment, the six infrastructure officer teams in An Taisce Green Schools are currently working on stage 4 of this process. That is the communication and liaison interventions. The infrastructure officers have now met the majority of round 1 schools to discuss the situation outside those schools, any new information on school locations etc. and possible solutions. In addition, the work that has been undertaken includes a survey of all the schools, parental surveys, front of school audits and walking and cycling audits that are being carried out to assess the existing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure within 500 m of a school. This information is going to inform the process so it is being captured as well. Speed surveys are also being carried out to assess the existing speed outside schools. These data will then help inform the delivery plans and further engage with the school population. The NTA and safe routes to school teams have produced a draft safe routes to school design guide to assist the local authorities to provide the technical guidance.
The infrastructure officers are holding weekly meetings with the active travel engineers to update on the safe routes to school programme in Limerick. There are on-site visits to schools, except for Scoil Íde and St. Munchin's College, with executive engineers to discuss the possible measures. Tipperary is holding its discussions. It has weekly meetings in relation to schools in Clonmel. With the roll-out of the resources to the local authorities, we will be monitoring this to ensure these 170 are progressed as quickly as possible. Part of that was to give them the staffing that many of them said they did not have.
