Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We will have to get a scrambler for him so he can scramble up the stairs.

I believe the Bill is a serious and honest statement by Sinn Féin to deal with this issue. It can be horrendous, given the interference, the dangers and the damage that is done to wildlife, mountainsides and flora and fauna on the tracks. While I do not want to be seen as a killjoy, I have to declare I used to own a quad and my son now has it on the farm. We certainly need to regulate these vehicles and to examine this issue seriously. We also need to restrict the speed they do. The scramblers are very fast and the quads are hard to drive because they do not go around a bend the same as a motorbike. They are four-wheel vehicles and if they are four-wheel drive, they pull at the front. They are dangerous and scary.

There must be licensing of such vehicles. I agree with Deputy Fitzmaurice in regard to roll bars. There should certainly be roll bars, as well as speed restrictions. The Minister could use one if he had it here because they would go up the side of a wall - that is how dangerous they are. If they lose grip and flip over, however, a person can be killed. There have been several fatalities, including one in my county involving a young boy of 14. His dad came home from work at 11 o'clock at night and went looking for him. He was trapped under the quad and, unfortunately, he had been killed. These are serious vehicles.

The problem is probably more acute in cities and urban areas, where scramblers are being used around parks and streets, which is treacherous as a child could run out in front of them. Those using them are thrill seekers. Although the traffic corps has been decimated, gardaí have the power under section 40 of the Road Traffic Act to seize these vehicles. They should not be driving around in their patrol vehicles trying to apprehend them but, instead, they should be trying to find out who owns them and where they are parked, so they can seize them if there is evidence they were out on the road and being used illegally. It is very important we have that back-up.

It is also important that more onus is put on the people who sell these vehicles. Anyone who goes to a ploughing match or to a show of any size will know salespeople are there selling them. As I said, quads are used for many different farming tasks, such as lambing, tending sheep and spraying, and I saw a person recently who had a little grass cutter attached to the back of one, so they can be adapted. However, we need to have documentary evidence of when they are sold so we can clamp down on their use. We need to know who is the registered owner.

As with the one I have, they should be registered and some form of tax or rather a tracing mechanism should apply as with an untaxed or uninsured vehicle. Where minors use them, they are definitely not insured because minors could not get insurance. It is a huge issue.

The urban issue is very troublesome. These vehicles cause a nuisance and generate noise. TidyTowns are trying to work in areas where people get into a them-and-us way of thinking and start to skid around, tearing up grass, flowers and plants. There needs to be some law to address that. We should think of those who are sick and are faced with that noise and annoyance. We should think of those working night duty, including nurses, doctors and paramedics who are trying to sleep while this is going on in their estates. It is an area which needs a great deal of examination. As such, the Minister, Deputy Ross, would do well to listen to all speakers, including me, rather than to have disappeared like the snow on a ditch when a bit of sun comes out. The sun is shining today. The Minister needs to grow up and understand all aspects of the Road Traffic (Quads and Scramblers) Bill. He must be prepared to listen to all Deputies.

I give way to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae and note that I support any measured attempt to restrain the misuse of these vehicles. That said, we must think of the upland farmers who need them. They need to be responsible in their use and schools must get involved in educating young people about their dangers.

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