Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy MacSharry indicated when he initiated this Bill on First Stage, the purpose here is to set legal parameters for the safe use of electric scooters. Currently, it is effectively illegal to use an electric scooter on Irish roads and such vehicles are liable for seizure by gardaí.

There is also a requirement that these vehicles be taxed and insured as mechanically propelled vehicles. Let us face it, every other vehicle has to be and it must be asked why these should be exempt. As I understand it, the Bill removes the requirement for electric scooters and electric bicycles to be taxed and insured by altering the definition of mechanically propelled vehicles. I would have major concerns here as regards fairness to others. We must be fair to everybody.

I see no reference to the Road Traffic Act regarding breathalysing or drug testing for these vehicles. Is it in the Bill? What is the story? Will we have one law for Dublin and a different law for the country because the scooters will not be used in Tipperary or Cork?

The scooters cannot travel at high speed, but they are capable of 25 or 30 km/h, and even 40 km/h in some of the more expensive varieties. That is a high speed if they run into somebody or as far as the ability to stop is concerned, because they have tiny tyres. It is Deputy MacSharry's prerogative to bring this in.

I had a young man in Cahir, Mr. Jason Maher, who has produced a tyre app. It is the finest app one could have. If the Road Safety Authority or insurance companies embraced it, we would cut down on a multiple of serious accidents and fatalities. He has put some ideas into it. We must think outside the box and listen to young men like him when they have researched this and have done tremendous work on it. I have yet to see a clear reason scooters should be exempt from tax.

The road safety campaigns in housing estates require the speed be kept under 20 km/h. They should be. Some years ago, we introduced Jake's law regarding cars. This is a clear recognition that mechanically propelled devices are capable of harm and should be used with due care and discretion.

Is there mention of age of user? Can a child drive them, as I often see, unfortunately? Is there an age limit? The fact that this method of travel is increasing, especially in the cities, only serves to highlight a greater necessity to treat them as we do other mechanically propelled vehicles.

Maybe the Minister, Deputy Ross, would consider one instead of his electric car that he plugged in outside his village. There was nothing there only a fake. It was fake news, fake Minister and fake green emissions. It was a total fake and a fraud. It is terrible the Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, has to come into the House every evening to represent him. We will have to get an effigy of the Minister made and put it over there in the seat an odd time so that we will not forget what he looks like.

I wish this Bill more investigation. There is another thing I want to see. Tail lights are luminous. They are very dangerous in the dark. One does not see these vehicles. There are many issues in this area.

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