Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am really happy to have the opportunity to speak on this very important Bill. Unfortunately I do not believe it will address the issues. As my colleague Deputy Ellis said, if it passes Second Stage, which we will support, we will be moving amendments. This is a massive problem in my constituency of Limerick City. In estates across the city quads, dirt bikes and scramblers are driven on public spaces and parks, causing problems for local people. They are a danger to children and result in intimidation for many residents. They cannot live safely in their own homes, which we should be entitled to do but unfortunately cannot. Many green areas and public parks are destroyed using these scramblers. Local sports teams sometimes show up to play a match only to find the pitch has been torn up by people driving scramblers around them. This exact thing happened at the beginning of this year in Geraldines AFC in Garryowen. People broke into the club and caused €10,000 worth of damage to the pitch by rallying scrambler bikes around on it. It is disgraceful. My colleague, Mr. John Nugent, who lives in the area, has been very vocal on this issue. Something needs to be done urgently.

Many elderly people are living in fear in their own communities. They do not want to venture outside when these people are on scramblers. Many of these bikes are powerful and incredibly dangerous, as we saw in the tragic case that occurred in Darndale Park. Unfortunately, gardaí are limited in how they can tackle this problem. The law as it stands prohibits the use of these all-terrain vehicles, ATVs, on public roads unless fully insured and taxed. There is a loophole in the legislation which allows people to use these vehicles in public spaces for antisocial behaviour and avoid any penalties.

This is why Sinn Féin brought forward the Road Traffic (Quads and Scramblers) (Amendment) Bill 2017, which aimed to give An Garda the ability to stop individuals using scramblers in public parks or unused space. It would also have given them the power to impound scrambler bikes or quad bikes used illegally on private or public property. The aim of this legislation was not to criminalise users of these vehicles but to keep those who use scrambler bikes and the general public safe. Unfortunately, Fianna Fáil and that party's partners in government, Fine Gael, decided to block the Sinn Féin Bill, which has resulted in the problem of scramblers continuing. I know from talking to people in Limerick that it has gone on to this day.

As my colleagues have said, this Bill only provides for the seizure of these vehicles and their disposal if the vehicle is not displaying a registration plate. It would do nothing about people operating unregistered quads or scramblers in parks and greens. It would allow the antisocial activity to continue without sanction and offers no solution to the illegal use of such vehicles in parks and greens. Unfortunately, this Fianna Fáil Bill is simply not good enough. It will not solve this problem and in my opinion it has been scheduled for debate tonight simply for election purposes.

There was recently a bizarre situation in the Limerick local media, when the Fianna Fáil candidates stood up and spoke about the need to legislate for quad bikes while their Deputies here opposed the Bill which would have done that. Deputy Ellis and my colleagues in the previous Dáil introduced a Bill in 2012, which was debated in 2014. That was defeated as well. The Minister finished his statement tonight by asking Deputies Lahart and Curran to withdraw their Bill but he provided no solution himself. I really believe the Minister has no interest in doing this. The reason he has no interest in solving this problem is that it is affecting working-class areas. If this was happening in south Dublin the Minister would have legislation ready and it would be his priority Bill. The first Bill he would introduce in the Dáil would be to stop it. This would not happen in the estate where the Minister lives. It is unfortunately allowed to happen in working-class areas across the State, not just here in Dublin but also in Limerick. People in those estates are citizens of this country. They deserve to live safely and securely in their own homes and the Minister will not legislate for it. I am asking him to do so now.

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