Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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137. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when active travel applications will be open for the 2026 Safe Routes to School Programme, for schools and local authorities to apply for such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67957/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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 including, in some cases, School Zones.

These projects should help alleviate congestion at school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school. The Safe Routes to School Programme is funded by my Department through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and An Taisce's Green Schools is co-ordinating the programme.

Invitations to express interest were sent to all primary and secondary schools in the country, and 932 applications were received from schools across every county in Ireland. Schools are processed in tranches, with 3 rounds having been announced to date. 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 the rounds to date will be selected in forthcoming rounds.

Given the pipeline of projects due for completion, there are no plans for an additional call for schools to join the programme currently. It should be noted, however, that funding for Active Travel infrastructure for schools is not confined to the Safe Routes to Schools Programme alone. In some cases, schools outside the SRTS Programme are included in wider Active Travel projects if they are in the vicinity of these works. The National Transport Authority (NTA) are responsible for selecting and delivering such projects; therefore it is worthwhile for councils to engage with them in the context of future funding allocations.