Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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235. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the active travel schools initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38018/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Deputy can be assured that I am very much committed to increasing the number of children who use active travel modes to and from school.

There are a number of existing supports already available, such as An Taisce’s Green Schools Travel programme and the Cycle Right training programme, both of which are funded through my Department’s sustainable mobility programme.

Complementing those existing supports, this year’s July Stimulus sought to fund the rapid roll-out of active travel infrastructure across the country and I know that a number of local authorities have sought to develop new infrastructure which supports active travel to and from schools in their areas.

In line with the commitment given in the Programme for Government – Our Shared FutureI am very keen to bring these various strands of supports together and develop a Safe Routes to School Programme. I know that Minister of State Naughton met with the National Transport Authority recently in this regard and I look forward to working with stakeholders in the months ahead as we finalise and roll-out the programme.