Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:“Dáil Éireann resolves that the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Use of Electric Scooters) Bill 2019 be deemed to be read a second time this day three months, to allow for the consideration of the outcome of the Public Consultation on Powered Personal Transporters, as commissioned by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to be finalised and to allow for that outcome to be then taken into account in the consideration of the Bill.”

I thank Deputies for bringing forward the Bill. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, sends his apologies. He is unable to be here because of departmental commitments.

It is fitting that we are having this discussion. When I first came to Dublin almost nine years ago after the 2011 general election, I was able to drive in, out of and around Dublin city very easily. The congestion in Dublin, which is heavy at times, is a result of the growth in the economy and the fact that we are now in a very different place compared with 2011. That said, there may well be a place for e-scooters in the future in terms of how we address that problem.

It took me 44 minutes to drive to Tayto Park from Merrion Square today. Sometimes we talk about congestion in Dublin city, but it is not the worst city to drive around. Sometimes we can talk it down too much, which can be detrimental. I am not ignoring the fact that there are crunch times where the city is at a standstill. There are also times when one can travel around Dublin more easily, which was the case during rush hour earlier today. As Deputies know, lowly Ministers of State do not have access to bus lanes.

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