Dáil debates

Wednesday, 8 May 2019

Road Traffic (All Terrain Vehicle and Scrambler Motor-cycle) (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage [Private Members]

 

8:35 pm

Photo of Jack ChambersJack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In addition, there must be accountability with regard to a registry for owners. That is proposed in the Bill.

Our party is constructive and if there are amendments on which we can work with the Government and other parties, my colleagues will facilitate them in order that we can have the best legislation possible. However, it is important to take action in respect of this issue. We have waited too long. The fact that lives have been lost is a scandal. Children cannot play in the open spaces. I received emails in the past two weeks from people who use the Royal Canal Greenway in Ashtown and the Dublin 7 and 15 areas. They are being terrorised. The greenway was meant to be a cycleway and a place where people could run, walk and enjoy the canal. However, scramblers are travelling up and down each evening, terrorising the local community. We have a responsibility to do something about that.

With all due respect to the Minister, it is not good enough to wait for another working group and another report and review. The Garda is clear that it needs assistance with this and the legislative lacuna to be addressed. All the officials in local authorities have reflected that in their responses to us as public representatives. A consistent trend over this Government's tenure is a lack of delivery to communities. It has not delivered on legislation regarding scrambler bikes. That is why we are seeking to work with the Government to provide it. Opposing the Bill because the Government has promised its own legislation is not good enough. We have seen that happen in other areas and there has been no delivery.

When I canvass and attend public meetings, I encounter people's total frustration with this issue. It is the same few reckless and irresponsible parents and children who own and use these bikes. We will address that. We will address it at the point of sale, make it an offence to ride the scrambler bike, establish the national vehicle database and give the Garda the power it needs to seize those vehicles. I heard some of the script read by the Sinn Féin Member and I have heard some Sinn Féin public representatives attack this party for trying to do the right thing now. Sinn Féin does not own this issue. We all have a collective responsibility to address it. I hope the Government will facilitate this Bill through to Committee Stage and that it does not seek to obfuscate and block it, as it has done with other legislative measures.

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