Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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243. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to consider expanding the cycle to work scheme to school children; the work being taken on such a measure; the cost such an expansion would involve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9195/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is continuously exploring ways to encourage the uptake of cycling as a mode of transport, including the Cycle Right programmes in schools. Our National Sustainable Mobility Policy examines the different behavioural change measures that can be explored to promote modal shift away from private car use and towards zero-emission transport modes such as walking, cycling and e-biking.

While I welcome the introduction of an increase in the Cycle-to-Work scheme thresholds in recent Budgets, I recognise that such an incentive does target a specific cohort of the population and is not universally available. While the Cycle-to-Work scheme falls under the remit of the Department of Finance, Department of Transport officials liaise with their counterparts in that Department in relation to the introduction of various transport related tax measures, particularly in the period preceding the annual Budget.

My Department will continue to undertake research into potential additional measures which could be introduced to promote modal shift and encourage uptake of cycling across all demographics going forward.