Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy MacSharry and Fianna Fáil for bringing forward this important subject to debate here tonight. Certainly, the use of e-scooters has become more common.

Something I would dearly like to see would be the use of helmets by those using e-scooters because at present they do not use helmets. None of us wants to see anybody, no matter his or her age, being hurt, especially if that person is not wearing a helmet and he or she gets knocked off one of these things and hits his or her head off the ground. Having that bit of regulation would be great.

I do not want to see e-scooters being over-regulated. All we want is that they are made safe and that there is a bit of regulation. I do not want to see us becoming a nanny state altogether. All we want to do is mind people and make sure certain measures are put in place.

In talking about this, I thank Deputy MacSharry for showing, as has been outlined by my colleagues, the divide in Ireland. Here we are debating scooters and how they will work and will not work in Dublin and in other cities. The Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, should know, because I hope he gives a share of time in the county that I represent, County Kerry, but I know for a fact the hardship that people experience, especially after the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Ross, brought in the recent Road Traffic Act and the detrimental way that has affected rural Ireland. Indeed, many of the places that I have had the privilege of going to for many years have been very adversely affected by this anti-rural Government.

I am talking about the rural public houses that have closed in many areas. The Minister of State might not be too familiar with many of the places I am talking about. I remind him of where they are around south, east, west and north Kerry. These were pubs that wanted to stay open. Their proprietors desperately wanted to run their family businesses, but because of this anti-rural Government and because of decisions taken by this Government, they had to close. Sadly, instead of lights being on and instead of the pubs being vibrant, they are shut. Where there was music and people gathering, there is nothing but quietness and no light on. There is no tax being collected by those people anymore.

They were tax collectors and employers but not any more. Those premises are now shut because of decisions taken by this Government.

Another measure that hit us very hard, which the Minister and Minister of State supported despite requests not to do so from people involved in the business in County Kerry and throughout the country, was the increase in VAT in the hospitality sector. Since its introduction, it has had a detrimental effect on our hospitality sector. Many people who have their feet on the ground and are dealing with that industry know the effect that increase has had on the profit margin. Those people, who are tax collectors for this State, are finding it very difficult to pay their rates, public liability insurance and their employees at the end of the week. If a person is trying to employ people, pay their benefits and contributions and help them to continue in work, it tells us how difficult it is to be in business. I may have deviated from the Bill and I am sorry about that. When the Government is examining the issue of e-scooters, it should think about County Kerry and places like it in rural Ireland.

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