Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Shortall for raising this important public safety issue. The Deputy will recall that I responded to her parliamentary question on the same issue on 1 May 2018. I share the Deputy’s concern in respect of the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes. The repercussions of anti-social behaviour arising from the use of these vehicles can be very serious. Scrambler and quad bike users can become injured, sometimes critically, people in close proximity to these vehicles may also be injured, at times, acutely and there is the ever-present risk of fatality. In short, the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes can have a devastating effect on the users of these vehicles and the wider community.

The Deputy will appreciate I have no direct role in the prevention of anti-social behaviour or the enforcement of road traffic legislation, which are operational matters for the Garda Commissioner. However, the impact of anti-social behaviour associated with the use of scramblers and quad bikes is clearly unacceptable in terms of public safety, which is why I am focusing on this issue.

In order to tackle a public safety issue of this nature effectively, a multi-agency response is required. The Deputy is aware that my Department convened a cross-agency meeting on 25 April 2018. The purpose of the cross-sectoral meeting was to ascertain whether there are additional legislative or other solutions that can assist in dealing with the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes more comprehensively, with a view to determining responsibility and timeframes for implementation of solutions identified. The meeting was attended by officials from the Departments of Justice and Equality, Transport, Tourism and Sport, Housing, Planning and the Environment, and Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, as well as from An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority and the Revenue Commissioners. My Department also met separately with representatives from Dublin City Council on 23 April.

The meeting took account of a range of perspectives on the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes and considered the various experiences currently being encountered in tackling this matter.

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An Garda Síochána continues to work with local authorities and other public bodies with regard to implementing non-legislative enforcement solutions to deal with the misuse of scramblers and quad bikes. It is vital that this engagement not only continues but accelerates. The meeting concluded with an agreed set of key next steps in the context of driving tangible progress on this public safety matter. My Department’s officials are engaging with the Office of the Attorney General to obtain legal advice on the interpretation of a number of relevant pieces of legislation identified at the meeting to determine whether any legislative amendments are necessary to assist in curbing anti-social activity insofar as scramblers and quad bikes are concerned.

My officials also intend to consult further with local authorities in the context of the positive engagement fostered by local authorities with local communities, examples of which include community and youth-centred projects such as the various horse projects. The experiences of local authorities involved in these and other projects will be very informative to my Department in this matter. As the Deputy will also be aware, an important element of this issue is the Road Safety Authority. The authority intends to run a safety campaign with the aim of discouraging those who may consider purchasing scramblers or quad bikes as presents for minors for Christmas, birthdays or special occasions. I stress that the supply of mechanically propelled vehicles to persons under 16 or 17, depending on the vehicle, constitutes an offence under section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 2004. I assure Deputy Shortall that I am committed to supporting actively any positive actions that can be pursued in response to the serious public safety issues arising from the ongoing misuse of scramblers and quad bikes. I am happy to hear from the Deputy and to listen to her views from an on-the-ground perspective. I welcome her comments and her contribution.

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