A ban on under-18s using e-scooters due to be introduced this month has been deferred following advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning.
The Cabinet agreed a series of new restrictions following a report that showed one-third of all paediatric traumatic brain injury admissions to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street this year were related to e-scooters.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister of State with responsibility for road safety Seán Canney announced expedited moves to increase the safety of users last month.
It was agreed hi-vis jackets and helmets would be made mandatory for all e-scooter use, while a ban on use for under-18s would take effect in August.
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Canney said this week that two of the three measures will become operational by the end of this month: compulsory helmets and hi-vis jackets.
However, he said the Government would not be proceeding with a new rule to prohibit under-18s from using e-scooters on foot of advice from the Attorney General.
Canney said primary legislation would be required to introduce this measure. It means anyone over 16 can continue to use e-scooters for the time being.
He said Government chief whip Mary Butler has assured him legislation to restrict the use of e-scooters would be prioritised for publication in the autumn term.
The legislation will classify e-scooters as mechanically-propelled vehicles, which means there will be a requirement that all vehicles be registered, and all users have driving licences.
The new law will also prohibit the sale of e-scooters to minors and the sale of e-scooters that do not meet legal requirements for use on public roads.
The raising of the minimum age of an e-scooter driver to 18 will form part of the legislation.
In a statement last month, the Government said an outright ban would remain on the table if the measures were not effective in reducing injuries.
The Cabinet also agreed further protections would be provided to members of An Garda Síochána to mirror a 2022 law enacted in the UK that gives additional legal protections to police officers when pursuing e-scooters and e-bikes.
The law is the same as that being proposed for gardaí in pursuit of fleeing cars.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly told the Government in July there had been a significant increase in Garda operations connected to e-scooters with 1,412 e-scooters seized by the end of July. There also have been 793 prosecutions for possession of e-scooters this year.
CHI informed the Government in July there were one to two children presenting at emergency departments each day with injuries sustained from e-scooters.
