The use of electric scooters by children under the age of 16 in a public place is to be prohibited from next Monday, under regulations signed by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and published yesterday.
Under the Road Traffic (Electric Scooters) Regulations the ordinary speed limit for an electric scooter in respect of all public roads is 20km per hour.
There are also strict requirements around braking and lighting in the regulations.
The regulations prohibit the use of an electric scooter for carrying more than one person at the same time.
It says an electric scooter should not be fitted with a seat.
E-scooters will have to be safe, roadworthy and must not "endanger, impede or inconvenience the driver, other road users or members of the public," according to the regulations.
The new regulations come despite Mr Ryan telling an Oireachtas Committee on Transport in June 2022 that banning the sale and supply of e-scooters for under 16s would be an "unenforceable provision".
"It would be a false promise and bad policy for us to pursue supposed safety measures that did not actually enhance or improve safety," he said.
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A public information campaign on e-scooters will roll out from next Monday.
The gardaí and Road Safety Authority (RSA) have been involved in the development of these regulations from the start and An Garda Síochána will be responsible for their enforcement.
Last year, there were more than 220 e-scooter crashes or collisions recorded by gardaí, with 54 resulting in serious or fatal injuries.
In 2022, there were an average of 14 e-scooter crashes or collisions every week according to garda figures.
Questions over whether laws can be enforced
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport that the approach of gardaí to the new e-scooter legislation would be to "engage and educate".
Speaking to Fianna Fáil's Cathal Crowe, Mr Harris said: "In respect of the new legislation, obviously there's an information programme. We're part of that.
"Our approach to that in the first place is going to be in respect of engage and educate in the first place."
Earlier, Labour Spokesperson on Transport Duncan Smith expressed doubt over whether gardaí will be able to enforce the new laws.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Smith said he does not believe there are enough garda resources available to police e-scooters.
Mr Smith said he would ask Mr Harris about this matter when the commissioner appears before the Oireachtas Committee.
However, Mr Smith said he welcomed the regulation of e-scooters and new laws should have been brought in sooner.
"I don't think those regulations need to be extended to e-bikes," he added.
Speaking on the same programme, Fianna Fáil TD for Clare and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee Cathal Crowe said he would welcome a ban on e-bikes for under-16s as well as e-scooters.
Mr Crowe said there is a place for e-scooters in society, when used appropriately, and they help people get to college and work, adding that the new regulations are aimed at improving safe behaviour.
E-scooter campaign
The RSA is launching a campaign aimed at educating people about the use of e-scooters.
The RSA said the campaign will commence next Monday, when new e-scooters regulations will come into effect, and will be shown across radio, digital audio, video-on-demand, social media and out-of-home advertising.
It will focus on highlighting the core rules relating to e-scooters including age restrictions, speed limits and vehicle specifications for e-scooters, the authority said.
Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA, said the legislation was "an important change on Irish roads".
Ms Waide said: "We are asking people on e-scooters and other road users to familiarise themselves with the traffic laws and regulations concerning this new vehicle type.
"The RSA's advertising campaign will be extensive and will support both e-scooters and other road users to understand how to share the roads safely together.
"It aims to remind all road users that we are all people sharing the roads together."
The RSA said breaking the rules of the road, not following regulations and improper or dangerous use of an e-scooter will likely result in a fixed charge notice.
It added that motorists sharing the road with e-scooters "should follow the same guidelines as for sharing the road with people who cycle".
