Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-16
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

What a constructive contribution. This is the sort of thinking we need. I thank the Deputy for that. I do not 100% know what the right thing to do here is, but what I 100% know is that the current situation is extraordinarily dangerous and needs to change. I do not say this to blame parents, but there is an issue here. It may be awareness, as the Deputy says, but there is a real issue here. Kids are not saving up their small sums of pocket money, going into toy stores and buying these scooters. Parents are buying these scooters for their children, perhaps out of ignorance, perhaps out of whatever else, but we need to look at that issue. I am not saying that to blame anybody, but it is a fact. What happens at the point of purchase definitely has a role.
I am somewhat sympathetic to rank and file gardaí, who are asked by this House to enforce laws that are often very challenging for them to enforce in terms of their own safety. We have all seen tragic situations where gardaí in the line of duty put themselves at risk in roads policing, and there have been fatalities as well. With scramblers and e-scooters, is there a way of helping with technology or registration systems?
The Deputy has made very good, constructive suggestions, and I thank him for those. If he is happy to send them to me, I would be happy to put them into the mix. This is something where, if we are unified as a House in saying the current system is wrong and not sustainable, and that we are going to take swift action, I really hope we can move on together very quickly.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:17+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-16