Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not. I own an electric scooter and must declare my interest in that regard. Scooters are not the cause of disruption in my constituency. However, quad bikes and scramblers are causing great disruption to many communities adjacent to the perimeter of the M50. Deputies who represent the constituencies of Dublin Bay North, particularly Darndale and Coolock, Dublin North-West, especially Finglas and Ballymun, Dublin Mid-West, Dublin South-Central and Dublin South-West, which all have communities with green spaces, would be familiar with the scourge that scramblers and quad bikes pose. People using these vehicles terrorise others in parks and on roads. Gardaí are, naturally, reluctant to chase them because that could result in accidents. Deputy Ellis of Sinn Féin brought forward a Private Members' Bill some weeks ago to redefine public spaces in view of the fact that parks are not covered under the road traffic legislation. He contested that they should be covered under that legislation in order to allow for pursuit of these vehicles. The Office of the Attorney General advised, and the Government and Fianna Fáil accepted, that is not the approach that we should take. Nevertheless, an approach should be taken.

The categorisation of good legislation is that it fulfils the objectives it sets out to achieve and that it does not cause any unforeseen negative consequences. My understanding of the advice is that, while the intention behind it was good, Deputy Ellis's Bill may unfortunately have given rise to unforeseen consequences. Nevertheless, that does not mean we should not do anything about the matter to which I refer. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, has been active in that regard in setting up a cross-agency grouping to discuss the issue and to thresh out what solutions, legislative or otherwise, should be considered in respect of this scourge.

I am seeking an update on the progress made to date and a roadmap as to where we are going. This problem has been ongoing for a long period. I assure the House that, come Christmas, a new wave of quad bikes or scramblers will be given to children and teenagers as presents. They will be given in good faith but they will be misused nevertheless. This issue will arise again in Dublin and in other urban areas. Very predictably, the type of behaviour to which I refer happens every Christmas and also during the summer months. I would like to see a roadmap and some tangible proposals and solutions outlined in order that we do not simply go through the motions again for another year. I welcome any progress the Minister of State can report and any timeline that he can set out.

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