Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the engagements her Department has had with the Department of Transport in relation to the safe routes to school programme. [16254/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme was developed in partnership by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and An Taisce Green-Schools. This Programme launched in March 2021 and was open to all schools in Ireland to apply for active travel funding and delivery. The programme is an initiative of the Department of Transport and is supported by my Department.

The Department of Transport and the NTA engaged with officials of my Department at the time this programme was being developed.

The programme has been operational for a number of years now and the Department of Transport have recently re-engaged with my Department on some of their findings. This included a meeting at Ministerial level.

An engagement is ongoing with the NTA. This also includes officials from the Department of Housing, due to the critical role Local Authorities play in the siting of school sites, the development of residential communities, the development of Active Travel networks and the statutory planning process.