The Irish Government has introduced a raft of new legislation which is set to curb the use of e-Scooters in Ireland.
What does the new legislation say?
The headline element of the new legislation is that you'll now have to be at least 18 years old to use an e-Scooter. The legislation also makes the wearing of safety helmets and high-vis clothing mandatory when using an e-Scooter.
What are the punishments if you don't?
There's a new fixed charge notice for all e-Scooter regulation transgressions, and it's now €100. If your e-Scooter is seized because you've been a naughty boy or girl, it will cost €80 to release it on the first day, plus an extra €30 for each additional day.
Anything else in the legislation?
That's it for now, but the Department of Transport did add that it will be working with the Gardai and other stakeholders to see if more measures are needed, including requirements for vehicle registration, mandatory insurance, or the need to hold a valid driving licence or learner's permit to use an e-Scooter. If they're flagging these things up now, expect them to be included in the next update to road safety legislation.
What happens now?
Right now, any Government funding for public e-Scooter schemes will be halted for a 'pause and a review', according to the Department.
How have we reached this point?
It's a mixture of circumstances, but basically e-Scooters are too easy to have accidents on - tiny wheels mixed with more power than people expect, and they're especially dangerous for kids. Temple Street Children's Hospital has recently reported a glut of serious head and brain injuries related to e-Scooters which has pretty much forced the Government's hand. That and the fact that, as a nation, we're rubbish at sticking to anything even resembling a sensible rule. The lack of Gardai available to enforce the existing rules has also played a part, although it's hard to see how the same police service can now be expected to enforce the new rules thoroughly.
Is anything else happening?
Aside from the e-Scooter-specific stuff, the Government says that it's also making some more changes at the Road Safety Authority (RSA), including the establishment of a new 'Road Safety Ambassadors' scheme which will become a more visible way of getting road safety information and education to the public.
There's also going to be a 'consolidation' of the RSA's driver services, which the Government says will 'increase their operational delivery capacity', but it's light on detail as to what exactly that means for the under-fire RSA.
Elsewhere, the National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026 will "enable sharing of traffic collision data so that local authorities, in their role as road authorities, may request, receive, and process road collision data from both the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána.”
The law will now also allow for a possible charge of 'careless driving' in the event that a jury decides a driver is not guilty of 'dangerous driving' and we should finally see the mechanisms introduced to enable the use of digital, rather than paper, tax discs (only a decade behind the UK, there…).
What does the Government say?
Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien said: "I am pleased to have secured approval from my Cabinet colleagues for this important package of road safety measures. Road safety is a priority for this Government, and the range of measures approved today demonstrates the breadth of actions required to make our roads safer. Improving road safety requires the right legislation, effective policies, strong enforcement, close cooperation between agencies and authorities, and greater public awareness of our shared responsibility as road users.
"Today's e-scooter measures respond to the growing number of serious injuries and tragic fatalities associated with their use and provide clear regulations to protect all road users.
"Education and public awareness are key components of road safety. I am particularly pleased to see the introduction of a new Road Safety Ambassador programme, to bring road safety messages to a wide range of road users through human connection.”
"The publication of the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill marks another important milestone in delivering the Government's Road Safety Strategy and our commitments under the Programme for Government. It will ensure that local authorities have direct access to collision data when undertaking road infrastructure investment. The legislative amendments will also facilitate greater real-time access to the database by An Garda Síochána in future, assisting with enforcement and contributing to safety on our roads.”