Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy and will respond to each of his points. I take his point that this is not just a matter of inconveniencing people or affecting the domestic environment. It is also a serious road safety issue. I am aware of the kind of behaviour the Deputy referred to, which is a threat to people on such scrambler bikes as well as those in the vicinity. I am also aware that in many cases scrambler bikes may be used in places that are well run by clubs. That poses no difficulty to anybody.

As the Deputy said in his opening contribution, safety is the paramount issue. In dealing with somebody on a scrambler or other motorbike in a residential area or in a public park where other people are present, including families with young children, gardaí must use their discretion in responding for fear of aggravating a situation or causing further risk to others in that area.

The Deputy raised this issue in a parliamentary question earlier this week, to which I responded. In anticipation of this Topical Issue matter, however, I specifically checked the definition of a public place and it includes a public park. There is therefore no impediment to stopping illegal activity taking place in a public park.

The Deputy's second point concerned a requirement to show evidence of age when purchasing such bikes or obtaining a licence. As I said in my earlier response, there are already two different age requirements in place. They are 16 or 17 years, depending on whether the engine is above or below 50 cc. To obtain a licence, the individual would be required to show that he or she is above either 16 or 17 years of age, just as one has to show evidence to obtain a driving licence for other vehicles.

I will take the Deputy's points to see whether that provision could be enforced more strongly or in a different manner. Having dealt with this in my constituency, I know that Garda stations seize these vehicles and take them from people who are either too young or pose a threat to others. I will follow up on the Deputy's specific point regarding whether this could be done in a different way or even more rigorously in order to respond to the risks he mentioned. I will write back to the Deputy on that point as well.

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