"Proper regulation needs to be in place for scramblers" - McGuinness

Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Deputy Conor McGuinness has said proper regulation and enforceable legislation needs to be in place with regard to how and where scrambler motorcycles are used.

His comments came in the wake of the tragic incident in Dublin in which 16-year-old students, Grace Lynch, died after being struck by a scrambler at the weekend.

Hundreds of people attended a walk in the Finglas area of the capital on Monday night in memory of the teenager.

That tragic incident was also raised in the Dáil by Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald.

She said it was "predictable” that a life would be lost as a result of scramblers and said they were "a“ scourge of working class communities”.

She also accused governments of having “dragged their heels” on introducing tighter restrictions on scramblers.

Her sentiments were echoed in Waterford by Deputy McGuinness who said there needs to be stronger regulation in place as to where and how scrambler motorbikes are used.

He acknowledged that there are many owners of such motorcyles around the country who use them in an appropriate and safe manner.

"The use of a scramblers as a legitimate outdoor pursuit is a valid one and there are very responsible owners out there who do use them appropriately," he said.

However, Deputy McGuinness said there is a time and place to use them and that public parks and footpaths are completely inappropriate.

"They should in now way be used in parks and other public areas," he said.

"They should only be used in a controlled environment," he added.

Deputy McGuinness also said the use of quads also needs to be seriously examined.

As with scramblers, he said there are many responsible owners across Ireland - especially in rural areas where use of quads can be a necessity - but that they are another area to be looked at.

"They play a valuable role in rural settings especially but like scamblers they have no place in urban estates," he said.

"The Government has taken it's eye off the ball on this and action is needed," he added.

He said it was similar to the issue of nitrous oxide and its use among young people.

"It causes huge health issues and the Government has an extremely important role to play by they are not managing it," he said.

"I just see the Government as shirking responsbility in a number of areas and it needs to be called out on it," he added.

Expressing sympathies to Grace Lynch's family he praised her mam for having the strength, in the wake of her grief over the loss of her daughter, to call for scramblers and e-scooters to be taken off the streets.

Deputy McGuinness said that no other family should have to endure the pain and heartbreak that Grace Lynch's family is going through and said action on the part of the Government is needed immediately.