New Garda Commissioner must tackle scramblers issue or resign, says Government TD
Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe: 'If [former Garda Commissioner] Drew Harris was still here, I'd have called for him to resign, because he didn't operationalise the law.' Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
New Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly should resign within six months if gardaí cannot get to grips with cracking down on scrambler bikes, a Government TD has said.
Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West Paul McAuliffe has claimed that, in the wake of teenager Grace Lynch's death after being hit by a scrambler, gardaí have failed to crack down on scramblers despite enough legislation existing allowing them to intercept the bikes when driven dangerously.
Mr McAuliffe told the that while he is willing to give Mr Kelly time to tackle the problem, he would have already sought former commissioner Drew Harris’ resignation if he were still overseeing An Garda Síochána.
Plans to ban scramblers on public roads, in carparks, and in public parks will be brought to Cabinet as early as Wednesday.
It follows the death of Dublin teenager Grace Lynch, 16, in Finglas last month after she was hit by a scrambler, sparking outrage across the country and commentary that such bikes are being driven dangerously with impunity across beleaguered communities.
Keith Lee, 18, of Park View Drive in Poppintree Park, Dublin, appeared before Blanchardstown District Court, accused of dangerous driving causing Ms Lynch’s death.
Under the Road Traffic Act 2023, when a garda “reasonably believes” a vehicle is, has been, or could be driven dangerously, they can stop the driver and require them to “exit, dismount, or otherwise relinquish charge and control of the vehicle”. It also gives gardaí power to seize scrambler bikes that are being driven dangerously.
However, Mr McAuliffe said he does not believe this is happening, and that scramblers are being seized by gardaí as part of other operations, as opposed to the 2023 act.
The Garda Press Office confirmed 167 scramblers were seized in 2025. However, they could not say how many of these seizures were related to dangerous driving under the Road Traffic Act 2023.
Mr McAuliffe, a TD for Finglas, said scramblers have been "terrorising" his community for years, noting Taoiseach Micheál Martin was nearly knocked down during a visit to his constituency.
“If [former Garda Commissioner] Drew Harris was still here, I'd have called for him to resign, because he didn't operationalise the law,” Mr McAuliffe said.
“They've talked about seizures. All the other policing parts of it, in my view, haven't been implemented, and there's widespread confusion.
“You're not going to ask a man who's just been appointed, Justin Kelly, to resign. But his time as Garda Commissioner will be judged on whether he enforces the Road Traffic Act in my community.”
Mr McAuliffe said if Mr Kelly does not "operationalise all parts of the Road Traffic Act 2023", he and the people of Finglas will be calling for his resignation.
He claimed that when the local garda station is called about scramblers, they do not always send a squad car to monitor them or follow them home to tell their parents they are liable for a fine for supplying the bikes.
The Garda Press Office told the that it “does not comment on third-party statements”.
Paul Donnelly, Sinn Féin TD for Dublin West, insisted that the new ban on scramblers in public places will be “useless” if gardaí are not given the training and equipment to enforce it, arguing that the scrambler drivers have “carte blanche to do what they want”.
“We are told on the ground that the gardaí are instructed that they are not to chase, they are not to engage,” he said. “[Scramblers] will drive past garda cars and goad them.”
Mr Donnelly said additional equipment needs to be provided to gardaí, including drones.
He also pointed to anti-scrambler units in Britain that put police on scramblers, alongside drones to target hot spots.
“How long have we had electric bikes, and yet the guards are still buying push bikes. It is archaic,” he added.
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