The enhancement of the Safe Routes to School Initiative and the Donacarney Footpath and Cycleway will provide safer, healthier, and more sustainable modes of travel for the students and residents of Donacarney.

Réalt Na Mara Boys National School and Réalt Na Mara Girls National School, two co-located schools in Donacarney which house over 800 students, saw the completion of front of school works worth approximately €500,000. These works include a new traffic calm and more visually appealing environment to encourage pupils and parents to walk/cycle/scoot to school in a safer setting. The scheme also provides a safer route for active travel to school from the growing residential area of Doncarney.

The new Donacarney Footpath and Cycleway, a construction project worth approximately €2 million, was also officially opened and provides 800 metres of a new shared space for active travel. As well as providing a safe link from the residential areas of Eastham Road to the Donacarney schools, the new facility also provides a safe option for active travel for the wider population linking Donacarney to Bettystown.

Speaking at the event, An Cathaoirleach Cllr Sharon Tolan said: "There are two schools in Donacarney: Réalt Na Mara Boys National School and Réalt Na Mara Girls National School, which cater to over 800 students. They both celebrated their 150th birthday recently, so I cannot think of a better way to belatedly celebrate that milestone than an excellent initiative that will bring healthier, safer and more sustainable modes of travel to its’ young students for years to come."

Kate McCloughan (Principal of Réalt Na Mara Girls National School) and Caitríona Campbell (Principal of Réalt Na Mara Boys National School) said: " Now, when we come to school we are greeted by bright pencil bollards, we appreciate a car-free roundabout, we love our new cycle-path and footpath but what we value more than anything else is the lives of our children, parents and staff whose route to and from school has been enhanced and rendered safer.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported us on this journey, to Meath County Council, An Taisce, our local Gardaí and our entire school community.”

Susan Doorley, Infrastructure Officer for Louth, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow at An Taisce said: “The Safe Routes to School programme has three aims which are: to improve safety at front of school gates, improve access routes to school and increase the number of cycle parking at schools. Working alongside the 31 local authorities, we have been able to complete construction at 89 schools. We had 932 schools that were accepted onto the programme in 2021 and we currently have 421 on active rounds. Cycle and scooter parking has been delivered at 822 schools which equates to spaces for 10,700 bikes and 5328 scooters!

“Children over five need at least one hour of exercise per day so walking/cycling or scooting to school can contribute to that all the while children are socialising with their friends and creating a lifelong habit.”

Meath County Council Deputy Chief Executive Dara McGowan said: "Meath County Council is pleased to support these important projects in partnership with the National Transportation Authority and An Taisce, which have secured over €2.5 million in funding in total. Over €500,000 of that has been allocated to enhance the Safe Routes to School initiative here in Donacarney, which aims to improve the safety and accessibility of routes for all students commuting to school.

"Additionally, over €2 million has been designated for the development of the Donacarney Footpath and Cycleway project. Together, these initiatives demonstrate a major commitment to improving infrastructure for safer and healthier travel options for residents."

Background:

The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme is designed to encourage as many pupils and students as possible in primary and post-primary schools to walk, cycle and wheel. It is operated by An Taisce in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and local authorities. The programme is an initiative of the Department of Transport and supported by the Department of Education.

Safe Routes to School engages with all 31 local authorities in Ireland to deliver front of school measures to improve safety and accessibility for all traveling to and from school. There are currently 421 schools actively engaged on the programme across three rounds. In Meath, there are 15 schools currently on the SRTS programme across three rounds.