David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Noone for raising the issue of electric scooters. I apologise on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, who cannot be present to take the matter himself. He thanks the Senator for raising this issue and providing him with an opportunity to discuss it.

The Minister is aware of the increasing number of electric scooters, electrically powered skateboards and similar small vehicles on our footpaths and roads, and he asked me to start by outlining the current legal situation relating to such vehicles. The Road Traffic Act 1961 defines a mechanically propelled vehicle as:

A vehicle intended or adapted for propulsion by mechanical means, including-(a) a bicycle or tricycle with an attachment for propelling it by mechanical power, whether or not the attachment is being used,

(b) a vehicle the means of propulsion of which is electrical or partly electrical and partly mechanical,

Electric scooters and powered skateboards fall into this category and are therefore considered to be mechanically propelled vehicles. Any user of such vehicles in a public place, as defined in the 1961 Act, must have insurance, road tax and a driving licence, with penalties under road traffic laws, including fixed charge notices, penalty points, fines and possible seizure of the vehicle, for not being in compliance with these requirements. As it is currently not possible to tax or insure electric scooters or electric skateboards, they are not considered suitable for use in a public place.

The Minister has asked the RSA to research how electric scooters and other such vehicles are regulated in other countries, particularly EU member states. He is keen to understand the road safety implications of the use of such vehicles on public roads, especially when interacting with other vehicles. He is due to receive the outcome of the authority's research within the next few weeks. He will need to be satisfied that permitting such vehicles on our roads will not give rise to safety concerns for the users themselves as well as all other road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. However, the Senator should note that, should the Minister decide that the benefits derived from the use of electric scooters outweigh the risks associated with using this type of transport, an amendment to primary legislation would be required. He will not be supporting a pilot scheme for the use of electric scooters in our cities while the use of such vehicles in a public place, as defined in the Road Traffic Acts, is ultra vires.