Cork Green Party Councillor Brands E-Scooter Ban Plan a "Reaction Against Anything New"
Cork Green Party Cllr Oliver Moran says the mooted e-scooter ban "smacks of laziness," arguing enforcement of existing rules is the answer, not prohibition.
A Cork Green Party councillor has hit out at the Government's mooted ban on e-scooters, arguing it targets young users while ignoring retailers who sell the vehicles to children.
Oliver Moran, Green Party councillor for Cork City North East:
"There's a demographic element to this. Half of e-scooter users are below the age of 24, only about 5% are over 50, and they're almost all urban-based."
He continued:
"I think there's an element of a reaction against anything new as well. Instead of going after the retailers who are selling e-scooters to young children, it's easier for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to go after young workers instead."
Moran defended the current rules governing e-scooter use, saying enforcement, not prohibition, is the answer:
"The current rules are sensible: you must be 16 or older, you cannot go faster than 20km/h, you must obey traffic laws. It smacks of laziness to say that rather than enforce the laws that are there, including prosecuting retailers selling to children, wouldn't it be easier to just ban them altogether."
The comments come after Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is "leaning towards" a full ban on e-scooters, with government leaders due to meet the Garda Commissioner to discuss possible restrictions.
A report by Children's Health Ireland found a 50% annual rise in children and young people admitted to hospital with traumatic brain injuries linked to e-scooter crashes, a figure that has intensified calls for tighter regulation.