Government trying to establish if e-scooters can be insured

Plans to increase the legal age of using e-scooters from 16 to 18 have now been delayed as the Government has had to seek permission from the European Commission to do so. File picture

Junior roads minister Sean Canney has conceded that it is still unclear whether e-scooters can be insured despite the Government previously indicating it would introduce mandatory cover.

It comes as the new rules on e-scooters will come into force later this week following increased concern about the number of young children sustaining injuries on the vehicles. From Friday, it will be mandatory for people using an e-scooter to wear hi-vis vests and a helmet.

The seizure and retention fees for e-scooters have also doubled. Fixed charge notice penalties for all e-scooter offences will increase to €100, with release fees rising to €80 for the first day and €30 for each subsequent day. This will come into effect from October 1.

A fixed charge notice offence for not wearing a helmet or high-visibility clothing while using an e-scooter will be introduced at the new rate of €100.

However, plans to increase the legal age from 16 to 18 have now been delayed, with Mr Canney confirming that the Government has had to seek permission from the European Commission to do so following advice from the Attorney General.

This, he said, should be “sorted out in the next couple of months”, with plans to raise the legal age now delayed until the end of the year.

In July, the Government agreed the Department of Transport would further engage with the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána, and relevant stakeholders to explore vehicle registration, mandatory insurance and the requirement to hold a valid driving licence or learner’s permit.

However, Mr Canney conceded that the Government is still trying to establish whether it will be possible for insurance companies to offer e-scooter insurance.

He said conversations are ongoing with Insurance Ireland, and that Government wants to make sure that legislation is “actually effective”.

“That is exactly what we are looking at, at the moment; Is it possible?” he said.

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“Are there insurance companies who will provide insurance? But as well as that, my main motivation here is to make sure that we stop this horrific sight we see, where so many young children are in and up on life support machines in our children's hospitals, when they should be out enjoying their summer.”

Mr Canney also denied suggestions that he and transport minister Darragh O’Brien are at loggerheads about the future classification of e-scooters as mechanically propelled vehicles, insisting that he intends to bring forward legislation as part of the National Driver Vetting and File Bill.