Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 Subsequently two schools have deferred their applications and one school has withdrawn, leaving 167 schools in Round 1. 108 schools were announced as part of Round 2 of the Programme in December 2022, totalling 275 schools now at varying stages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

Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your question to that agency for a more detailed response regarding the annual spend on the scheme. As noted earlier, the SRTS scheme commenced in 2021 and therefore annual spending figures are only available for 2021 and 2022.