Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am very conscious of time and want to provide the key information to the Deputy. I will set out the details of very specific schemes to support active travel, particularly for our student population, which is the key consideration in the question.

My Department funds the delivery of CycleRight training through Cycling Ireland which delivers cycling training to school children around the country and equips them with the skills to cycle safely. In partnership with the Department of Education we also launched the Safe Routes to Schools programme earlier this year which aims to accelerate the delivery of safe walking, scooting and cycling infrastructure on key access routes to schools. By the deadline for expressions of interest in April, over 900 applications had been received from schools in every county in Ireland and 170 schools were notified on 21 June that they have been selected for inclusion in the first round of the programme to support walking and cycling infrastructure for primary and post-primary schools. All schools that initially applied for funding under this programme will not need to reapply in later rounds as they will come into the programme on a rolling basis. Finally, my Department also provides funding for the Smarter Travel Workplaces and the Smarter Travel Campus programmes,which are overseen by the NTA. These are national voluntary behaviour-change programmes that work with large employers and third level institutions to implement workplace travel plans that facilitate sustainable travel on the commute and beyond.

The step change in funding for active travel in both urban and rural areas together with the commitments to improved and expanded public transport projects should work towards providing our citizens, including students travelling to and from school and college, with a viable alternative to private car use and should encourage a modal shift towards sustainable transport modes, whether walking, cycling, bus, tram or train.

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