Three West Cork schools will benefit from the latest round of funding for the Safe Routes to School Programme which was announced just before Christmas.

Rath National School in Baltimore, St Mary’s NS in Rosscarbery, and St Multose in Kinsale are among those in line for improvement works.

The works include school zone features such as pencil shaped bollards, colourful road markings, upgraded footpaths, and enhanced pedestrian crossings, designed to slow traffic and make walking and cycling safer for students.

The programme aims include improving safety and public health while reducing car congestion and supporting climate goals.

The funding was welcomed by Christopher O’Sullivan TD who said the measures would make ‘walking, wheeling and cycling safer and easier for school children’.

In 2026 up to €20million is expected to be spend on the scheme.

Since its launch in 2021, the SRTS programme has grown significantly with 526 schools now actively incorporated into the programme and around €50 million invested in projects to date across Ireland.

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

The Education and Community Action Team at An Taisce is co-ordinating the programme.

The programme works closely with school communities, parents and local authorities to ensure that proposed measures reflect local needs and gain broad support through community engagement.

Almost half of participating schools have reached an advanced stage, with 227 projects either completed, under construction or in the final design phase following public consultation.

When the programme launched in 2021, 932 schools applied, nearly a quarter of all schools nationally.

More than half of those have already been included in the active programme and, it is anticipated, the remaining schools will be added on a rolling basis in future rounds.