Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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200. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost in 2022 of providing funding across the country for safe routes to school. [23801/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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201. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total amount of funding that was applied for the safe routes to schools programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23802/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together.

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 Subsequently two schools have deferred their applications and one school has withdrawn, leaving 167 schools in Round 1. 108 schools were announced as part of Round 2 of the Programme in December 2022, totalling 275 schools now at varying stages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 or Round 2 will be selected for forthcoming rounds.

The funding for Safe Routes to School forms part of the overall allocation of €290 million to the NTA's Active Travel Programme, which is distributed to projects across all 31 local authorities. Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your specific questions relating to SRTS funding to that agency for answer. If you do not received a reply within 10 working days please contact my private office.