E-scooters turning Dublin into “Wild West,” McDonald says

The Dáil may be on summer recess, but local politicians haven’t missed the chance to weigh in on the e-scooter row.

As is government tradition, a drip-feed to the media that the government were looking to ban e-scooters for under-18s ignited a week of political debate from both government and opposition TDs.

Sinn Féin TD and leader Mary Lou McDonald said the e-scooter situation is “out of control.”

Debate around e-scooters has reached a fever pitch following an RTÉ report in early July, which stated that six children were on life support machines in Temple Street Hospital following injuries sustained in e-scooter incidents.

In response to this, Tánaiste Simon Harris briefly flirted with the idea of an outright ban by e-scooters, but following backlash (and it could be argued, common sense prevailing), Harris walked the ban back to just under-18s being banned from owning an e-scooter.

McDonald cited a report from Children’s Health Ireland, which found that there were 1,130 children attending emergency departments between January 2021 and August 2025 as a result of e-scooter-related injuries.

In the last year, there has been a fifty per cent increase in children and young people being admitted for traumatic brain injuries. 

Despite pleas from politicians to stop manufacturers from advertising e-scooters as toys or Christmas presents, 2026 has seen e-scooters become the unlikely star of Irish public discourse.

The Dublin Central TD “we know that scramblers and e-scooters are being used by gangs to distribute drugs, to openly and actively intimidate, to evade the Gardaí.”

“Yet, we heard the Gardaí saying there would be no chance of pursuit training until next year because of the EU Presidency. I found that really shocking.”

McDonald’s party colleague and Dublin spokesperson Mark Ward has called for mandatory training for Gardaí to pursue suspects on e-scooters.

McDonald stated that adding an extra law just for the sake of adding an extra law wasn’t going to cut it; she said that simply enforcing the laws that are already in place would be much more pertinent.

“So, we have laws that aren’t being enforced. 

“We have communities left to their own devices. We have Gardaí not trained to pursue these vehicles. When it comes to e-scooters and scramblers, we literally have the Wild West. This situation is out of control. It is putting young people in danger, and communities are being intimidated and terrorised,” she said.

McDonald stated, “the situation is getting worse and the government is dragging its heels. Communities are sick of gangs using these high-powered vehicles to cause havoc. The danger posed to young people is having tragic consequences. The government must urgently set out and implement a plan to tackle the scourge of scramblers and e-scooters.”

From the government side, Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe has welcomed government action on e-scooters.

The Dublin North-West TD said, “the number of e-scooters on our roads has increased dramatically in recent years, but unfortunately so too have the number of dangerous incidents and serious injuries.”

McAuliffe noted, “this year alone, more than 1,400 e-scooters have been seized by An Garda Síochána and almost 800 prosecutions have been brought. Children’s Health Ireland has also reported a worrying increase in serious head injuries linked to e-scooter accidents, particularly among children and young people.”

“Many people use e-scooters responsibly, and they can play a role in how people travel. These new measures are about protecting those users while ensuring there are consequences for those who use e-scooters dangerously or engage in criminal or antisocial behaviour. Mandatory helmets, licensing and registration, restrictions on sales, and stronger legal protections for Gardaí will improve safety and increase accountability.”

The Fianna Fáil TD said, “I hope these measures will reduce injuries and make our roads safer. I would like to commend the work of An Taoiseach and Minister O’Callaghan for taking proactive action in tackling this growing public safety concern. The focus must now be on implementation.”

“These regulations will only succeed if they are backed by strong enforcement and public awareness. That is how we will improve safety and better protect everyone who shares our roads and footpaths.”

Labour TD and health spokesperson Marie Sherlock was cynical about the new rules and regulations, saying the enforcement of existing rules would make more sense.

The Dublin Central TD said, “I now believe we need to implement a six-week ban on these scooters to give government and the Gardaí time to catch up on the gaps in legislation and enforcement so that we have a functioning safe system in place come the Autumn.”

“E-scooters are a legitimate form of transport for adults, when used in the right way. But we know that in many of the communities that I represent in Dublin Central they are often time used with impunity and as a tool for intimidation,” she said.

“While I know Gardaí locally have been doing good work locally with regard to confiscation, the reality is that their hands are with regard to pursuit and the apparent indifference of the Minister for Justice and inaction of the Minister for Transport  with regard to the problems that exist must not continue.”