Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to speak about the safe routes to school programme. I find myself speaking about road safety quite a lot in the Chamber. I am sorry if I am driving colleagues mad, but it is very important to me and to many people in County Meath. A fantastic road safety opportunity is provided through the safe routes to school programme. In fact, it is a no-brainer. My colleague Senator Rabbitte mentioned the programme a few weeks ago when she was discussing safe routes outside day services. The National Transport Authority, NTA, funded and ran this programme and during the term of the previous Government, under the auspices of the Department of Transport. I ask that both the Department and the NTA provide information on whether the programme is going to be reopened in order that more schools can apply for funding. The programme was originally launched in March 2021 but has not reopened for applications since then. A few hundred schools applied for funding initially but many did not submit applications and would love the opportunity to do so now.

The safe routes to school programme provides front-of-school treatments which enhance access to school grounds and create a safe space for students at the front of schools. It accelerates the delivery of walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure on key access routes to schools and expands the amount of bike and scooter parking available at schools. I urge everyone to visit the programme's website to see the fantastic work that has been done under the programme.

A great deal of work needs to be done in County Meath to make the journey to school safer. The previous Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, said that her ambition was that all children in Ireland would have the option to make their daily commute to the classroom on foot or by bicycle or scooter in a way that is safe and protected. She said that she was confident that this ambition was shared by children, their parents, teachers and the wider school community. I totally agree. I urge the Department to finish the job.