High amount of children's injuries prompts call from Taoiseach for 'fundamental review' of e-scooters

The Oireachtas Transport Committee heard that helmet use should be made compulsory but that children should not be on e-scooters

Under legislation introduced in May 2024, e-scooter users must be over 16 and obey a speed limit of 20km/h. They should also not carry passengers, have a seat, or carry goods. File picture

A "fundamental review" of e-scooters is needed, the Taoiseach has said.

There has been a focus on e-scooters in recent weeks after the death of a boy in Carlow town, the hospitalisation of a student garda in Finglas and the revelation from Children's Health Ireland that in the past fortnight alone, six children have been admitted to intensive care in CHI Temple Street with traumatic brain injuries following accidents involving e-scooters.

Under legislation introduced in May 2024, e-scooter users must be over 16 and obey a speed limit of 20km/h. They should also not carry passengers, have a seat, or carry goods.

At the Oireachtas Transport Committee, the Road Safety Authority's acting CEO Alison Coleman said: "We are gravely concerned about the high number of traumatic brain injuries amongst children using e-scooters. 

"Following recent communications from clinicians at Children's Health Ireland, we are aware that e-scooters are currently the single biggest cause of traumatic brain injury in children admitted to neurology and rehabilitation services in Temple Street. They've stated very clearly that this represents a serious emerging public health concern and warrants a regulatory or legislative response.

"Given reports in recent days with respect to e-scooters and the devastating impact their misuse and being in the wrong hands can have, for children particularly, we are imploring with parents to please not use e-scooters and not purchase these scooters for their children."

Michael Rowland, director of research, standards and assurance at the RSA said helmet use should be made compulsory but that children should not be on the scooters.

"We did survey parents, and of the parents that bought an e-scooter for their child, 67% of them were not aware they were prohibited for the use of those under 16 on public roads.”

Fianna Fáil TD Shane Moynihan asked if the RSA had the immediate ability to roll out registration and insurance requirements for e-scooters.

Ms Coleman said the responsibility for registration would sit with Revenue, but that RSA had previously produced regulatory recommendations to the Department of Transport on wheel size, speed and types of e-scooters that could be permitted.

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“There are the structures in place in terms of insurance and registration already within the Irish system, and it's just the legislation that needs to be changed, and that needs to be the priority for the minister," she said.

Mr Moynihan said gardaí don’t feel empowered to act if they see a child illegally using an e-scooter. He raised the issue with Micheál Martin in the Dáil. The Taoiseach told him he supports further regulation.

"I think we need to stand back and have a fundamental review of e-scooters more generally, given the level of injuries that have been reported by medical consultants. That needs to be examined in more detail, given the statements issued recently by medical consultants.

"I am informed that gardaí have significant legislative powers to combat antisocial and dangerous use of e-scooters. The Garda authorities report 754 incidents in which an e-scooter has been seized in the first quarter of this year, compared to a full-year figure of 931 for 2025. 

"Therefore, from what I am being told, there is a higher number of seizures of e-scooters, which indicates perhaps the bad use of e-scooters in given locations."