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TRANSPORT MINISTER SHANE Ross has told the Dáil the government will move as a “matter of urgency” to deal with the unsafe use of scrambler and quad bikes.
A Sinn Féin Bill seeks to amend the law to allow gardaí the power to seize and detain quad bikes and scrambler motorcycles when being used unlawfully.
The Road Traffic (Quads and Scramblers) Amendment Bill is currently at Second Stage, but is to be opposed by government.
The reason for opposing the proposed bill is the government believes an amendment to the Road Traffic Bill to deal with the issue is “not appropriate” as it could have unintended consequences for other road traffic legislation.
A cross-agency working group has already been set up by the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to deliver a “multi-pronged” response the problem of young people using the vehicles.
Ross told the Dáil today that the group will meet again next week and will engage with local authorities around their difficulties in dealing with scrambler and quad bike use in local parks and other areas.
He said a Road Safety Authority campaign in the run up to Christmas will appeal to parents not to buy the vehicles for their children.
While he said he is “fully behind the excellent intentions” of the movers of the Bill – TDs Dessie Ellis and Imelda Munster – he did not agree with the amendment being proposed.
He said the approach of Sinn Féin runs the risk of undermining other legislation.
“Those risks are not worth taking,” said Ross, but he conceded that as a “matter of urgency” the group would ascertain other ways of dealing with the issue.
Fianna Fáil’s Robert Troy accused the minister of being slow to move on the issue, stating Ross had previously stated that there was no deficiency in the legislation in dealing with illegal use of scramblers.
Troy urged Sinn Féin to withdraw its Bill for a period of two months, so that there could cross-party work done on it to get it over the line and accepted by government.
“That might be a way to move this forward… withdraw the Bill and work with Fianna Fáil and the government to put forward robust legislation,” he added.
A number of other TDs also contributed to this afternoon’s debate, with many stating that the issue of the dangerous use of quad bikes being one of the constant issues raised at local joint policing meetings with the gardaí. Others stated that locals are afraid to use parks.
“It is an issue scrounging our environment,” said Fianna Fáil’s John Brassil.
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Yet how many children will still get one on Christmas Day?
@Rosie Murray Malone: Seven
@Rosie Murray Malone: not to mention we don’t enforce laws , be it horses racing on Dual carriageways or people parking in disabled bays. Waste of time bringing in new laws without enforcing the current ones.
@Ajax Penumbra: haha
Require insurance for all bikes quads off road or on road, If they don’t have insurance impound the bike.
@Dáithí O Raghailaigh: it’s already law. Eu made a decision on it the other day. Apparently once a vehicle is in working order it must be insured even if on private land
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: not all laws passed in Europe become active here. Vrt is illegal according to EU, we haven’t implemented or and just pay a fine. I imagine the politicians get a lot of back-handers from the car companies here. Sure isn’t there always a government scheme to but a new environment choker.
@Steven Fitzpatrick: Honest question here, in what way does VRT benefit car dealers/ distributors?
@Steven Fitzpatrick: VRT is not illegal under Eu law.
The Eu told us to facilitate vrt refunds for exports and we’ve done that.
@Dáithí O Raghailaigh: you are right in what you say but as usual the law is not enforced. As we see nearly every second car stopped by Gardai has no insurance and they can only catch a fraction of the people with no insurance.
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: What law is this as it could have some interesting consequences
They were able to bring in #USC and property tax overnight but can’t amend existing law to fix this menace??
@Peter Jo: how would this law pay the western banks who purposely bankrupt the country??
Well the sooner they start confiscating them for being a dangerous without tax and insurance. Too many young kids have died Christmas day after only getting them. Maybe parents of some of these should speak about the heartache caused.
@Mick12: how can they confiscate them if the kids are on? The Gardai are told specifically NOT to chase them! It’s only more dangerous… and infuriating
@Mick12: If the use of scramblers was in Shane Ross’s area and the likes D4 this problem would have been sorted now because the quad problem is in the likes of Tallaght Clondakin Ballyfermot among other areas and I am just including Dublin but it is a Country wide problem its laughable that Gardai have refused to deal with this quad problem using the excuse of the Gardai been sued personally if there’s a accident do they use the same excuse when they confront gangsters in a car chase ?
Ban from all urban areas zero exceptions
@Quentin Moriarty: agree, no need for them in urban areas at all.
A matter of urgency! Kick it down the road so like housing and health and concentrate on propping up this shambles of a government to keep snouts in troughs.
Right now there is a moped and a scrambler racing around Fairview park.
TRANSPORT MINISTER SHANE Ross has told the Dáil the government will move as a “matter of urgency” to deal with the unsafe use of scrambler and quad bikes.
A matter of urgency to tackle a major problem that has existed for decades and became an epidemic in some areas.
Many deaths and serious injuries have happened in the meantime to say nothing of the sense of disturbance and malice it causes. The lack of consequence for this behavior has encouraged many young thugs to move further into unrestricted criminality given that nobody stopped them earlier on.
Maybe try siezing the malnourished, abused horses attached to sulkys being used on our roads by a certain so called ethic group. I consider them a menace and a real danger that needs sorting out. But sinn fein love the travellers so they go after the low hanging fruit instead.
Sec41 of the road traffic act. Any mechanically propelled vehicle used in a public place can be seized if there is no insurance or certificate of exemption . Why is there a need for a new act?
A simple quick-fix solution might be just to extend existing traffic laws into public parks and amenity areas.
Most park maintenance vehicles work from depots and are taxed/insured already.
Unfortunately, I think this is one of those things that is pretty much impossible to police.
It might look well to bring in a law but realistically we can’t afford to have police in suburban housing estates and on country roads to look out for quads. We have enough problems trying to man the stations. I’d imagine most driving readers here have had the urge to put the foot down at some stage. It’s the same with kids but multiplied by (lots).
I know they can be very dangerous but to reinforce my point. I think there is little or nothing we can do about it through new laws.
Maybe education is the best way forward.
@Lion Giggs: then by your own logic, nothing can be policed.
@Lion Giggs: Gards by and large know who the scrotes are racing around on usually robbed bikes, a few weeks of constant raids, take the bikes and any parts, and keep at them until they have nothing left..
The Gardai also need to have permission to forcefully stop these bikes by any means, the scrotes know they could be paralysed or killed every time the go out racing the illegally held bikes anyways!
“That might be a way to move this forward… withdraw the Bill and work with Fianna Fáil and the government to put forward robust legislation,” can this not happen a committee stage?
Just make it law that all quads be equipped with an antiroll bar. Like tractors.
@John Tierney: plus the sale/import of new quads have restrictions associated with them requiring the purchaser to hold a specific permit to own one
Sale to other buyers in the future of the quad only sold to permit holders
The ones that are in the housing estates will die out eventually or get confiscated if practical .
Those who sell to non permit holders get fined 3000 euro
Problem solved
@John Tierney: You actually think that would work??? Just imagine a 30 something year old who bought one of these for his pride and joy, no safety gear, tax or insurance and someone tells him he needs to have an “antiroll bar” fitted. Seriously, what do you consider the chances? If daddy has no issues with junior whizzing around an estate with not a care in the world for his own safety and couldn’t give a damn about what damage he may cause, do you honestly think he’ll shell out an extra grand or so for an anti roll bar that might protect his heir but won’t do anything for whoever he’ll hit?
Blame Johnny’s parents. Hit them with the fine they will soon get the message. 99% are driving them with no tax or insurance flying up and down public paths and fields and nothing done..
A cross agency working group probably getting paid for that as well
A matter of urgency, the group will meet up next week and then engage local authorities…yes, sounds really urgent, it is coming up to Christmas, end of this month it starts, simply ban and confiscate them. Job’s done, run the ad campaign and mention if you buy one of these they will be confiscated.
Using unlawfully? That is a very vague definition, i would be cautious of giving gardai powers to seize private property without clear legislation.
Just stay up at the apple Green garage jobstown cause you get loads it a disgrace the way they fly around
A multi pronged approach = waste time with another committee making useless recommendations never acted upon in the hope is will all go away. Pump huge money and resources into a pr campaign and “education ” for people who couldn’t give a hoot .
Motorcross is a sport, about time they treated it as so and provide safe environment for the use of motorbikes.
Not everyone wants to play golf or football on the public green areas.
have your say