Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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191. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeline for the introduction of legislation to legalise e-scooters on public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23266/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Electric scooters are a type of powered personal transporter (PPT). PPTs are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles, the use of which requires a valid licence, tax and appropriate insurance in accordance with Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1961. As PPTs do not fall under any existing vehicle category, it is not currently possible to tax and insure them and there is no separate licence category for them. Therefore it is illegal to use them on public roads and in public places. Any person using one in public may be prosecuted and have their vehicle confiscated by An Garda Síochána. However, their use is permitted on private land with the permission of the landowner.

Changes to the legal status of these vehicles are not as simple as declaring them no longer mechanically propelled vehicles. Any changes to this require primary legislation which, as the Deputy will appreciate, may take some time.

I intend to legislate for eScooters in accordance with the Programme for Government. This will involve identifying and developing appropriate amendments to primary legislation across a range of complex areas. The work must be carried out in such a way that it does not undermine the overall framework of Road Traffic Law or Road Safety in general. The Government's current legislative priorities are the necessary measures to manage the Covid 19 crisis and to address its social and economic consequences. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a timeframe for e-scooter legislation at this time, although the situation will be kept under review.