Laois TD demands new laws to tackle e-scooters

There have been fresh calls for new laws on e-scooters in light of the injuries suffered by children including those suffered by a teenage boy in Portlaoise.

Independent TD Brian Stanley asked the Government to “bring in legalisation as a matter of priority to control the use of electric scooters and e-bikes”. He made the call in the Dáil to Minister Peter Burke, who was deputising for Taoiseach Micháel Martin.

“Over the past two weeks we have had a number of serious accidents with e-scooters and e-bikes, with people being seriously injured, including six children who are currently in intensive care in Temple Street. One of them is from County Laois,” Deputy Stanley said.

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“It is one accident after another. Ten people have been killed on e-scooters, two this year so far. It is time to act. Fifty years ago, to drive a Honda 50 with a top speed of 35 m/h, you had to pass a test, wear a helmet and have tax and insurance. We need to stop kidding ourselves that these e-bikes and scooters are capable of only 20 km/h; some of them can do 60 km/h or 70 km/h. Let us be clear: these are mechanically propelled vehicles just like petrol-driven scooters.”

Dep Stanley said “there must be a requirement to do the following: to know the rules of the road, pass the test, have insurance and wear a helmet, and for the current laws on driving them on footpaths to be enforced. People are going around this town with no lights on their vehicles.”

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“Can we make this a priority in the next term of the Dáil in the Autumn? When will we see proper legislation for these mechanically propelled vehicles? These are not toys. This week we had a garda in court because he pursued one of them in a Garda car. He finished up in front of the court over it”.

In response, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke thanked Dep Stanley for raising the issue.

“Critically, he is quite right about the capacity and power of e-scooters. They are a huge risk to public safety. The Government is taking this very seriously. I echo the Deputy's calls that we have to make it a priority. I know there is an enforcement unit with An Garda Síochána and I know the work it has to do. It takes time because the prevalence of e-scooters now is very significant. We can all see that in our communities and in our daily lives,” he said.

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“We have a huge body of work to do. I was absolutely shocked to hear the number of children who were in ICU(Intensive Care Unit) last week directly as a result of e-scooters. Any parent would be so shocked to hear that. We have to turn that shock into action and ensure that we have enforcement and that we take action. I will raise the matter with the Minister for justice.”