An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-14
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Sarah O'Reilly (AON), Agricultural Panel

I also welcome the delegation from Canada. They are very welcome. I have three sons living and working in Manitoba, Souris and Brandon.
I bring up the issue of e-scooters. Imagine being afraid every time you step outside your own front door. That is a daily occurrence for a visually impaired woman living in Cavan town. I was speaking to Joanne yesterday. She is clinically blind. She says she is genuinely afraid for her life because of e-scooters speeding along footpaths. Instead of feeling safe using her white cane or crossing at a pedestrian crossing, she lives in constant fear that someone travelling at speed will fail to see her and knock her down. No one should have to live like that. For the past two years, Joanne says the problem has become steadily worse. She has already had two near misses, as she calls them, that left her badly shaken. She describes Cavan's footpaths as being like a racetrack and says she dreads leaving her home now. That should not be the case. This is not just about an inconvenience. It is about safety, accessibility and the right of every person, regardless of disability, to move around their community without fear. The law is already clear. E-scooters are not permitted to be ridden on footpaths. Yet, the rules are being ignored because many people believe there is little chance of being caught.
Without proper enforcement, the law means very little. Many e-scooter users act responsibly but it only takes a few reckless riders to put lives at risk. We need greater awareness, stronger enforcement and respect for pedestrians, especially those who are most vulnerable. Everyone deserves to feel safe on their streets. Joanne's story should be a wake-up call for all of us. It is time to ensure our footpaths are places of safety and not fear.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:15+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-14