Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
186. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport the number of schools included in the Safe Route to Schools Programme by county; and the associated funding provided for those schools by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41838/22]
View answer187. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport the number of applications received for the Safe Route to Schools Programme by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41839/22]
View answer188. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport the status of the delivery plans for schools accessing the Safe Route to Schools Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41840/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together.
In March 2021, Minister Naughton and I launched 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.
932 applications were received from schools across every county in Ireland. 170 schools were notified on 21st June 2021 that they were selected for inclusion in the first round of the SRTS Programme. The table below sets out the number of schools by local authority included in round 1 and subsequent rounds of the programme and the total number of applications by local authority area. It should be noted that all schools that applied to the original call for applications were accepted into the programme.
|
Local Authority |
Number of schools in Round 1 of the Safe Routes to School Programme |
Number of schools in subsequent rounds of the Safe Routes to School Programme |
Total number of schools in the Safe Routes to School Programme |
|
Carlow County Council |
4 |
19 |
23 |
|
Cavan County Council |
2 |
13 |
15 |
|
Clare County Council |
5 |
29 |
34 |
|
Cork City Council |
6 |
18 |
24 |
|
Cork County Council |
10 |
51 |
61 |
|
Donegal County Council |
5 |
61 |
66 |
|
Dublin City Council |
28 |
23 |
51 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council |
6 |
19 |
25 |
|
Fingal County Council |
11 |
29 |
40 |
|
Galway City Council |
4 |
15 |
19 |
|
Galway County Council |
7 |
58 |
65 |
|
Kerry County Council |
5 |
37 |
42 |
|
Kildare County Council |
5 |
46 |
51 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
5 |
19 |
24 |
|
Laois County Council |
3 |
10 |
13 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
3 |
7 |
10 |
|
Limerick City and County Council |
8 |
29 |
37 |
|
Longford County Council |
2 |
7 |
9 |
|
Louth County Council |
4 |
29 |
33 |
|
Mayo County Council |
7 |
44 |
51 |
|
Meath County Council |
6 |
31 |
37 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
3 |
11 |
14 |
|
Offaly County Council |
4 |
13 |
17 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
5 |
16 |
21 |
|
Sligo |
4 |
21 |
25 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
3 |
22 |
25 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2 |
22 |
24 |
|
Waterford City and County Council |
4 |
8 |
12 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
2 |
10 |
12 |
|
Wexford County Council |
4 |
24 |
28 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
3 |
21 |
24 |
|
Total |
170 |
762 |
932 |
€15m has been allocated for projects at the 170 schools included in Round One. 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.
The Safe Routes to School Programme is funded by my Department through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and is supported by the Department of Education. An Taisce’s Green-Schools is co-ordinating the programme, while funding will be made available to local authorities which will play a key part in delivering the infrastructure along access routes and at the school gate.
Noting the role of the NTA in the matter I have referred your question to them for answer in relation to the funding provided to schools by county and the status of the delivery plan for schools. If you do not received a reply within 10 working days please contact my private office.
