Mr. Hal Stevenson:

I thank Senator Buttimer for his questions. I agree with him on the importance of contributions from groups like the National Council for the Blind of Ireland. It is vital to have its feedback when it comes to introducing the legislation and making sure it is working for everyone. We have engaged with the organisation previously and invited it to join our newly formed Irish disability advisory board.

The Senator referred to the need for balance in how we manage pavement space. From our perspective, we do not see a need for balance. For us, e-scooters are not toys but road vehicles and should be used on the road. There is no need for a balance in that regard. Pavements are for pedestrians and we have technology that can deal with that. Legislation can also help with it.