Gardaí need powers to deal with e-scooters - Ó Murchú

Gardaí need powers to deal with e-scooters, which are being driven by children as young as eight, Sinn Féin TD for Dundalk Ruairí Ó Murchú has said.

The Louth deputy was speaking in the Dáil recently during a debate about Garda resources and highlighted how Gardaí had said that they had stopped an eight-year-old on an e-scooter earlier this year in Dundalk.

He said those who engage in dangerous behaviours on e-scooters and scramblers were putting themselves and others in danger.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: “We need to see not only guidelines and legislation; we need to make sure that Gardaí are given the powers that are required”.

He said that high-visibility Garda operations ‘can make a huge difference in preventing crime’.

“I commend the community gardaí whom I have interacted with, particularly in Dundalk. The late night leagues with the youth diversion programmes have been running on a Thursday night for the past number of weeks. They are successful. 

“It is about building relationships with kids and hopefully engaging with them from a point of view of ensuring that they can find that better road map themselves for their life”.

Deputy Ó Murchú also used his speaking time to commend Gardaí who have, with him, met those residing at Barrack Street, Dundalk, who, he said, are ‘very worried about the ongoing destruction of property, anti-community action and open drug dealing’. 

He said: “There is a Dublin Simon Community facility that has bad legacy issues in the area. It is all about those powers that are needed. There is planning permission for 21 units there. 

“Louth County Council would have to make some serious promises in relation to allocations, but a huge body of work needs to be done. From my discussions with Dublin Simon Community, it is hopefully up for it. It is between it, Louth County Council and Gardaí. It is making sure that would happen”.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.