Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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211. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way that he intends to classify electric scooters in relation to the use of footpaths, cycle lanes, speed limits and insurance obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59311/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Under Irish law, e-scooters are regarded as mechanically propelled vehicles and may only be used in a public place if they are registered, taxed and insured and the user has the appropriate driving licence. However, e-scooters are not type-approved, they cannot be registered or taxed and there is no appropriate licence category, so they cannot legally be used on public roads.

In accordance with the Programme for Government, it is intended provide for the legal use of e-scooters on public roads. The Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021, currently before the Oireachtas, introduces a new vehicle category, powered personal transporters (PPTs) - small powered vehicles which will not require tax, insurance, registration or operator licensing. Following enactment of the Bill, e-scooters will be classed as PPTs.

The Bill will not directly allow for the use of e-scooters. It will instead enable the Minister for Transport to make regulations to allow the use of specific PPTs, such as e-scooters, on public roads.

Regulations will apply design and usage criteria for use on public roads, including restrictions on size, weight and speed and technical requirements for issues such as construction and lighting. As well, e-scooters will be restricted to roads and cycle lanes only.

E-scooters which comply with the regulations will, in many respects, be treated in the same way as bicycles in relation to use and to traffic legislation. E-scooters which do not comply with these criteria will remain illegal for public road use.