Dáil debates

Tuesday, 17 November 2020

Scrambler Motorbikes and Quad Bikes: Motion [Private Members]

 

8:10 pm

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

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing this very sound and worthwhile debate before the Dáil. Sinn Féin is trying to do what we would all like to do, that is, protect people's peace, quiet and safety. In turn this would help to ensure the safety of the people partaking in this nuisance behaviour. If they are not capable of ensuring their own safety, we have to do so by encouraging legislation. I do not welcome every new law or restriction because we can sometimes tie ourselves up in knots, but this is sensible.

We do not call these vehicles scramblers. The quads I am talking about are used as work vehicles similar to tractors. A lot of the people where I come from have quads. They are a terribly important part of their working life. We can be sure that they are not for pleasure or leisure. Just like a tractor, a quad is used for getting to places, carrying goods, maintaining wiring and doing all the work that needs to be done around a farm. Of course there is a place for other types of scramblers or motorbikes. As has already been soundly stated, that activity is fine if it happens in the places where it is supposed to.

Many years ago our local authority, Kerry County Council, was very proactive in adopting bylaws to protect the safety of its beaches, as I am sure many other local authorities were. We did not want people driving onto our beaches with motorbikes, scramblers or any similar four-wheeled vehicles that might upset or endanger children or people enjoying the surroundings. Now we have to protect public parks and other places. Of course, if people want to do this they can do it. If they want to buy vehicles for these purposes and they have the money to do so, God bless them. We want them to do it somewhere where this activity is safe and regulated and does not upset or interfere with anybody else.

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