Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)

As Minister of State with responsibility for international and road transport, logistics, rail and ports, I wish to begin by noting that e-scooter users, like cyclists and pedestrians, are vulnerable road users. Their safety is of paramount importance when regulating for safer roads in Ireland. To that end, regulations providing for and governing the safe and legal use of e-scooters on Irish roads were introduced in 2024. The ongoing development of segregated road space is also vital to improving safety for this group of users.

The 2024 regulations cover a wide range of requirements, both usage and technical, including for speed, weight, capacity and power, as well as prohibitions on, among other things, carrying more than one person, the carriage of goods and the use on footpaths. While there is no prohibition on the sale or possession of e-scooters which exceed the statutory parameters, any e-scooter that falls outside of these regulations remains illegal to use on public roads or in public places.

The full list of regulations can be found on the gov.ie website. If an e-scooter or user is in breach of the regulations, An Garda Síochána may seize the e-scooter and may also impose a fixed-charge notice to the value of €50. In addition, e-scooter users, as for cyclists and e-cyclists, must obey the rules of the road. The operation of the legislation through enforcement is, as for all road traffic law, under the remit of An Garda Síochána. My officials meet regularly with An Garda Síochána to discuss matters related to road traffic safety. As with any legislation, I will consider feedback on its operation from An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders and I will act if it is clear that road safety improvements can be made.

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