Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an important issue that affects all parts of the country. Electric scooters are now commonplace. They have soared in popularity in recent times. Their ever-increasing popularity is also creating some serious issues for many people. One of the biggest single complaints my constituency office receives is from people who are taking issue with electric scooters. I also have many issues with electric scooters. Electric scooters have the ability to travel at between 20 km/h and 40 km/h. Unfortunately, many users are travelling at these speeds not only on roads but also on footpaths. It is this travel on footpaths that causes most concern. I have heard many stories from constituents of near misses they have had with these electric scooters. I know from experience how dangerous they can be. I have had a number of near misses with electric scooters. Since the start of the pandemic, the number of people walking has increased. People should feel safe walking on footpaths but they do not. There are those who are riding electric scooters at high speed on footpaths and who are intimidating others. People should feel safe on the roads.

I am sure that nearly everybody in this Chamber has had some kind of near miss or accident with a scooter. Even this morning coming to Leinster House, I was stopped at traffic lights and I saw a young fellow on an electric scooter cross the road onto another road. He even went into a shop on the scooter. He did not have the decency to get off the scooter. These are serious issues.

A few weeks ago, one of our national newspapers had a photograph of a family of four - a man, a woman and two children - on a scooter. The man had a two- or three-year-old child on his shoulders. This is getting very serious. It is now common for electric scooters to come in ones, twos or fours. My understanding is that users of these motorised bicycles or scooters are not permitted to use them on public footpaths. In order to use them on public roads, insurance is required. Are those who ride scooters allowed to carry one, two, three or more passengers? Are they allowed to drive them on footpaths or roads, or into shops? At night, they can be seen on the wrong side of the road or in cycle lanes. Those riding them have no lights and they wear dark clothes. It is important to have clarity on this, not only for the general public but also for the users of electric scooters and bikes. Does the Government have any plans to introduce regulation for the use of these electric scooters on our public roads?

This is a serious matter and it must be sorted out as soon as possible. People need to feel safe on our footpaths and roads. It only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or even killed as a result of the of the improper use of electric scooters.

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