Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the legislation and regulations for e-scooter use will be in place given recent reports of further delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21014/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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. However, their use is permitted on private land, with the permission of the landowner.

It is intended to legislate for the use of e-scooters, in accordance with the Programme for Government, as soon as possible, so that they may be used on our roads within a clear legal framework. Provision to regulate for PPT use has been made in the Road Traffic and Roads Bill, which has completed second stage in the Dáil and is due to go to committee stage shortly.

In order to allow for the rapid pace of technological change in this area, specific controls on the use of e-scooters will be set out in regulations, following the passage of the Bill through the Oireachtas. The use of e-scooters on public roads will become legal only once these regulations are in place.