Written answers

Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Transport Policy

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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91. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of schools in counties Cavan and Monaghan that are enrolled in the Safe Routes to School programme in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20451/23]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme was launched in March 2021 with the aim of supporting walking, scooting and cycling to primary and post-primary schools, and creating safer walking and cycling routes within communities, through the provision of infrastructure interventions. This should help alleviate congestion at school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school.

931 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. Subsequently two schools have deferred their applications and one school has withdrawn, leaving 167 schools in Round 1. 108 schools were announced as part of Round 2 of the Programme in December 2022, totalling 275 schools now at varying stages of options development, design, planning, construction or completion.

It should be noted that all schools that applied to the original call for applications were accepted into the programme, and if not selected in Round 1 will be selected for forthcoming rounds. 

Two schools in Cavan were selected for inclusion in Round 1, namely:

  • St. Mary's NS, Virginia
  • St. Aidan's Comprehensive School, Cootehill
As of end March 2023, St. Mary's NS is at detailed design stage, while St. Aidan's Comprehensive is at options development stage. Three additional schools, Ballyhaise NS, Ballyhaise, St. Michael's NS, Cootehill and St. Mogue's College, Bawnboy were selected for inclusion in Round 2 of the SRTS Programme.

Three schools in Monaghan were selected for inclusion in Round 1, namely:

  • St. Michael's NS Corcaghan, Stranooden
  • St. Louis Girls' NS, Park Road, Monaghan
  • St. Louis Infant School, Park Road, Monaghan
As of end March 2023, St. Louis Girls' NS and St. Louis Infant School are at preliminary design stage, while works at St. Michael's NS have been completed. Three additional schools, Beech Hill College, Tirkeenan, St. Tiarnach's Primary School, Clones and St. Mary's BNS, St. Mary's Hill were selected for inclusion in Round 2 of the SRTS Programme. 

The SRTS team in the NTA and An Taisce began to engage with Round 2 schools early this year.

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