Road Traffic Offences
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-27
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Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. I commend Deputy McAuliffe on the role he played in enacting the amendment to the Road Traffic Act back in 2023. A significant legislative change was achieved as a result of that. Today when we all reflect on the awful death of Grace, we may think that not enough was done in respect of that legislation; a lot was done in that legislation. Most importantly, the amendment of section 35 of the Road Traffic Act brought in by that legislation allows for the Minister for Transport to restrict or prohibit the use of specified vehicles in certain areas.
Deputies will have heard the Taoiseach speaking in the House this afternoon. There is a commitment from Government that that amendment of section 35 will be invoked and I think it should be. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Canney, has committed to ensuring that there is a prohibition on the use of scramblers on public roads and in public parks. Scramblers should be used on designated tracks for scrambling bikes - we used to see them on the television years ago - or on pathways up the mountains. They are not for use on public roads. I know we will still have the same issue in respect of enforcement.
It will be easier and there will be a societal response if there is a law saying that scramblers cannot be used on public roads.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-27/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:01+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-27