Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, for coming to the Seanad today to respond to my Commencement matter, which is looking for an update on the commencement of the amendments to the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021. The Bill was passed in the Seanad in May 2023 and signed into law by the President in June 2023. The amendments to the Act seek to make our roads and public spaces safer and to tackle the scourge of the illegal and irresponsible use of motorbikes, quads and scramblers on public streets and in all shared spaces.

I come from Dublin Central and the Minister of State represents Dublin West. He knows that if we went to our constituencies right now, it would not be difficult to find irresponsible and illegal use of vehicles, including motor vehicles, quads, scramblers and motorbikes. Increasingly, those who are irresponsibly using the quads and motorbikes are of an age where they really need better supervision and support. Most importantly, our gardaí on the beat right across the city, county and country require amendments to the law to give them the power to make our roads and public spaces safer, and to remove from our public spaces and roads the irresponsible and illegal use of quads, motorbikes and scramblers. Specifically, the amendments would give powers to the gardaí to stop those who are using vehicles irresponsibly and to obtain their name, address, driving licence and date of birth. The amendments would give the gardaí the powers to ask the driver or operator of the vehicle to dismount or exit the vehicle. He or she could even be asked to leave the location in which they have been operating the vehicle. Most importantly, the amendments would give the gardaí the powers to enter a property where they believe vehicles are being kept or stored for illegal or irresponsible use. The amendments also create a penalty for such offences, including a fine of up to €5,000 or six months' imprisonment. These amendments give gardaí the right not only to seize vehicles, but also to keep them. If, after a period of time, the vehicles are not responsibly claimed and it is not possible for the owners to demonstrate that they will be responsibly managed, they can be disposed of and destroyed.

These are very important powers that we are aiming to give to our gardaí to tackle the scourge of illegal and irresponsible use of quads, scramblers and motorbikes in our public spaces. It is something that we, as a party, sought to have included in the programme for Government. We were glad to see it included. I commend the Minister of State and my colleagues in the Dáil, Deputies McAuliffe and Lahart, on their work on this. Like the Minister of State and the Deputies, I am aware that in the Cabra Community Policing Forum, the Finglas Safety Forum and in community forums right across the city and in other parts of the country, communities have asked the Government and politicians to help our gardaí to tackle and remove the scourge of illegal and irresponsible use of quads, motorbikes and vehicles. They want safe streets, parks and public spaces. They want our young people to be protected from such activity. I hope the Minister of State can give the House an update on the enactment of these amendments to the road traffic legislation and how the powers are being used by An Garda Síochána.