Six local schools are among 108 across the country to get funding under the Safe Routes to School Programme.
The announcement’s come from the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD, alongside the National Transport Authority and Santa Claus.
Three each in Carlow and Kilkenny schools are among those confirmed.
This constituency’s Fine Gael TD John Paul Phelan’s told KCLR News “In Carlow, the schools include Holy Family Boys National School Askea Tullow Road and the girls national school at the same address. St Leo’s College on the Dublin Road also receives investment. In Kilkenny, the three schools in Graiguenamanagh benefit. These include Duiske College, the boy’s national school and Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal”.
Deputy Phelan adds “The Safe Routes to School Programme aims to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities, alleviate congestion at the school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by providing improvements to walking and cycling facilities.
“The launch of the second round of the programme today will see over 37,000 students across Ireland benefit from safer infrastructure and encourage them to cycle, walk and wheel to school”, he concluded.
While Minister Hildegarde Naughton TD said; “I am delighted to be able to bring some festive cheer to schools nationwide by confirming that thousands of more children nationwide will soon benefit from safer infrastructure which will allow them to walk, cycle and scoot to school every day.
“In recent months I have had the privilege of visiting schools across the country and have seen first-hand the positive impact that Safe Routes to School projects are having on our children’s daily lives. During these visits the message was loud and clear that there is a huge appetite for the continued rollout of the Safe Routes to School Programme in our villages, towns, and cities across the country. Now, having secured the necessary funding as part of Budget 2023, it is great to see the programme continue to go from strength to strength. My ambition is that every child in Ireland will have the option to make their daily commute to the classroom by foot, bicycle or scooter in a way that they are safe and protected; one that I am confident is shared amongst children, their parents, teachers and the wider school community.”
