Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am addressing the issue because I believe it is one of concern to communities located right across the city of Dublin and in other urban areas. The issue has been raised with me directly by many Dublin Deputies. I was very keen to convene, as I did earlier this year, a meeting of interested parties because it appeared to me that previously there was a reluctance to accept responsibility on the part of many of the agencies involved. My Department, the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Housing, Planning and Local Government, Dublin City Council, the Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority have got together a view to seeing how this issue might be addressed as a matter of urgency. I have discussed the matter with An Garda Síochána in the context of the precise point of legislative change. I have drafted a letter to the Attorney General seeking legal advice on the interpretation of the existing legislation in terms of definitions. The draft letter was circulated to the attendees at the cross-agency meeting for their observations. I have also mentioned this to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, who has responsibility from a transport point of view.

I wish to respond to Deputy Jack Chambers by saying that this is an urgent issue. I am very sorry that there has been an accident. For example, the supply of a scrambler or a quad bike to somebody under 16 and 17 years of age, depending on how the vehicle is defined, is an offence under the Road Traffic Acts. The Garda Síochána is aware of that. To return to the earlier point regarding the availability and visibility of gardaí, during the summer months many of our parks are attractive locations for the people who abuse these vehicles and I hope that those individuals could be subject to the rigours of the law.