Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 565: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the provision of safe walkways, cycleways or transport to permit every child to receive a safe and active passage to school; if she will develop and implement such a policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3609/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The question of whether children walk to and from school is a matter for decision by their parents. However, it is clear that walking to school can make an important contribution to children's health and to developing their sense of road safety, as well as decreasing traffic congestion around school routes.

Many local authorities have developed schemes to encourage walking to school, through initiatives such as the organisation of a 'walking bus', the provision of school traffic wardens, the organisation of Walk to School Weeks, and the development of 'park and stride' initiatives. Local authorities are also involved in promoting car pooling initiatives.

An Taisce's Green Schools Initiative includes measures such as the Safer Routes to School Project, which aims to increase the number of children who walk and cycle, increase the number of families who 'park and stride' or 'car-pool', and reduce school-related congestion.

The Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Programme in all primary schools includes a specific 'safety and protection' strand which is designed to develop in children an increasing sense of personal responsibility for their own safety and that of others. The learning objectives of this strand specifically include such provisions as safety strategies for crossing the road, using the bus or being a pedestrian, crossing the road with an adult, and being familiar with the rules for travelling in a car or bus, or on a bicycle.

SPHE is also a mandatory junior cycle subject at second-level. The SPHE curriculum at both primary level and in the junior cycle at second-level stresses the importance of daily exercise and a healthy diet to maintaining health and well being. The 'personal safety' strand of the junior cycle programme includes such issues as road safety and is supported by a range of curriculum materials. In addition, a road safety programme for use in Transition Year has been developed and is currently being piloted by the Road Safety Authority in collaboration with my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the Second Level Support Service.

In addition, school transport services operated by Bus Éireann on behalf my Department provide a safe means of access to school for pupils who, because of where they live, might otherwise have difficulty in attending regularly. Some 135,000 children are carried annually under the scheme, of which approximately 8,500 are children with special needs. Transport is provided by Bus Éireann and private contractors with a mix of large, medium and minibuses, as well as a number of car/taxis. One of the effects of provision on this scale is to lessen the amount of children being transported to school in cars.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to review the school transport system, including catchment areas, and my Department is currently progressing this matter.

I should point out, also, that my colleague, the Minister for Transport, has begun the process of developing a Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan, which will provide the basis for public policy aimed at the achievement of a sustainable transport system by 2020. As part of the process, a Steering Group, on which my Department is represented, has been established to guide the delivery of an issues document for public consultation, leading to the preparation of the Action Plan. It is envisaged that the Plan will require a considerable shift to public transport and other sustainable forms of travel, including cycling and walking.

Finally, in February of last year, the Road Safety Authority launched the RSA MACE "Safe to School" campaign at primary level, which is aimed at helping primary school children learn effective road safety lessons. The first part of this campaign was about walking to school safely and the current year's programme will cover cycling to school. As part of this initiative educational packs and DVDs have been distributed to all primary schools and Walking / Cycling to School Guides have been produced. A dedicated website, www.safetoschool.ie, has also been launched as part of the campaign.