Safer school travel for students in Creeslough, Carndonagh and Donegal Town

Funding has been granted to Donegal County Council to make it safer for students and their families to travel to five Donegal schools.

They are Carndonagh Community School and St Patrick’s Boys School in Carndonagh, Creeslough NS and Scoil Mhuire in Creeslough, and Scoil Aodh Rua agus Nuala in Donegal Town.

The Safe Routes to School Programme aims to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities. It also aims to 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. 

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal TD, Charlie McConalogue welcomed Monday’s launch of this second round of the progamme. 

He said: “The Safe Routes to School Programme has improved access to schools for students right around the country. The inclusion of five Donegal schools in Round 2 is great news and will benefit students in those schools. 

“Thanks to all involved.”

The programme is funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and is supported by the Department of Education. 

An Taisce’s Green-Schools is coordinating the programme, while funding will be made available to local authorities which will play a key part in delivering the infrastructure. A designated Infrastructure Officer from Green-Schools will liaise with the schools and local authority as works are planned and carried out.

€20m has been allocated for projects included in Round 2 with the funds coming from each local authority’s annual allocation for Active Travel works.