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6th February 2008

Gay Byrne Takes to his Bike to Launch MACE Cycling Safely to School With Road Safety Authority - 3,284 Primary Schools to be Targetted with Road Safety Message

Gay Byrne, Chairman of the Road Safety Authority attended St. Brigid's primary school, Haddington Road this morning (Wednesday 6th February) with Peter Kealy, Chairman of MACE to launch the Mace Cycling Safely to School Campaign. The 2008 campaign follows on from the phenomenal success of year one of the initiative with 457,889 students from 3,284 primary schools targeted for the campaign.

*With over 4,000 children cycling to and from school each year, their safety on the roads is of paramount importance. As only children of 12 or older are permitted to cycle to school the purpose of the MACE campaign is to educate and prepare primary school children for cycling safely in the future.

This week over 3,300 Irish and English speaking schools across Ireland will receive the "Cycling Safely to School with the Macey's" pack which includes classroom posters, Wall charts, and a DVD all based around safely cycling on the road and the safe cross code.

Saving Lives through Road Safety in Ireland is top of the Department of Transport's agenda for all age levels - just last week the Department of Transport launched a Pilot Scheme providing bicycles and packs with safety gear and helmets to Civil Servants in each of the Department's six Dublin offices.

Launching the campaign Gay Byrne, Chairman, Road Safety Authority;
"I am delighted to launch this wonderful and worthwhile campaign. This is the second year that MACE has run this vital road safety promotion in schools. They say that good habits learned young last a lifetime that's why this campaign is so important to prevent the unthinkable happening."

Peter Kealy, Chairman of MACE:
"MACE is delighted to be working in association with the RSA for the second year running to deliver a very important road safety message to teachers, parents and children. Our ambition is that the 'Cycle Safely to School With the Macey's' Campaign will seriously raise road safety awareness and prevent death and injury on the road in the future"

As part of the campaign MACE and the Road Safety Authority are running an art competition with over €25,000 worth of prizes to be won for classes, teachers and schools to encourage students to get involved in road safety on an interactive level. The Road Safety team comprising RSA and MACE representatives will also travel to winning schools in all 26 Counties to present the award to the County winners and give the over all winner and their class a Cycling Safety and Skills workshop.

For Further information please contact:

Slattery Communications:
Genevieve Ryan:
M: 086 8846277         
E: Genevieve.ryan@scomms.ie

Emily Cox
M: 086 3832703
E: Emily.Cox@scomms.ie

OR

Brian Farrell, Communications Manager
Road Safety Authority
M: 086 3881009
E: Brianfarrell@rsa.ie

* Source: Central Statistics Office, Ireland

Children, boys and girls at school aged between 5 and 12 years, usually resident in the State classified by sex and means of travel to school at each Census.

 

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