Ireland tightens e-scooter rules with under-18 ban, helmets and licences, but stops short of outright prohibition

The decision

The Irish government has opted against an outright ban on e-scooters, instead announcing a package of strict regulations. Sales of the devices to anyone under 18 will be prohibited from August, extending the existing under-16 restriction. All riders will be required to wear helmets and high-visibility vests, hold a driving licence, and keep to a maximum speed of 20km/h. E-scooters will also have to be registered. Taoiseach Micheál Martin had indicated last week that he was leaning towards a full ban, but changed his position after hearing arguments in favour of commuters.

An outright ban will remain on the table.

The commuter argument

Tánaiste Simon Harris is believed to have led the case for commuters, backed by other ministers. Many bus and rail passengers use fold-up scooters for the first or last mile of their journey, and do so responsibly on city streets, the argument ran. A ban would have pushed many of those users into cars, worsening congestion during peak hours. This reasoning ultimately persuaded the Taoiseach to pursue regulation rather than prohibition.

Enforcement doubts

Even as the new rules were announced, serious questions were raised about whether they can be enforced. A serving detective garda wrote in The Irish Times that colleagues are being prosecuted for dangerous driving after pursuing suspects on e-scooters and scramblers. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly recently told the Oireachtas justice committee that 10 gardaí are before the courts for alleged dangerous or careless driving arising from on-duty incidents that involved no injuries to the public or themselves. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the measures would be meaningless without proper resources.

A ban is all well and good but it means nothing if it's not enforced, and all of the evidence across our communities is that the law and regulations are not enforced.

Labour transport spokesman Ciarán Ahern added that gardaí are often hamstrung under current regulations, while an opinion piece by Ciarán Cannon in the Irish Examiner argued that Ireland already has a comprehensive legal framework for e-scooters, but it is not being implemented. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy noted that an estimated one in every 25 adults travels by e-scooter at least once a month, calling it an affordable and sustainable mode of transport that should not be banned hastily.

Political reactions

The Green Party gave a cautious welcome, but leader Roderic O'Gorman warned that the timeline for introducing the rules puts children's health at risk and insisted it must also become illegal to buy an e-scooter for a child. The party welcomed the absence of an outright ban but cautioned that licensing and registration must not become a back door to a complete restriction. People Before Profit called for stronger enforcement of the existing under-16 ban and tighter controls on devices modified to exceed speed limits.

What happens next

The ban on sales to under-18s takes effect in August. Later this year, legislation will be introduced to classify e-scooters as mechanically propelled vehicles, making a driving licence and registration mandatory for all users. The government has made clear that if behaviour on the roads does not improve through the autumn and winter, an outright ban remains a live option.