Communities have suffered the scourge of scramblers for too long. The death of Grace Lynch, a 16-year-old girl from Finglas, demands urgent action. People are frustrated by what they see as the lack of a proper response by the Garda to this menace. Gardaí are frustrated too, and while they have had some successes in seizing scramblers, the recent tragedy in Finglas shows that much more needs to be done. The current legislation is failing to tackle the scourge of scramblers and is not enforced. I have raised these concerns both in the Dáil and at local policing forums. I have also tried to bring legislation before the Dáil as far back as 2012. I introduced a Private Members' Bill that addressed the nuisance and dangers caused by scramblers in public areas, housing estates, parks and greens. My Bill would have given the Garda powers to seize, remove and dispose of such vehicles. This Bill was voted down by the then Government. In 2017, the then Deputy Imelda Munster and I introduced another Bill that again would have given the Garda the power to seize and detain quad bikes and scramblers when they were being used unlawfully. Once again this was voted down by the Government. In 2020, Sinn Féin introduced another Bill on scramblers and addressed concerns raised by the Government with regard to such legislation. Again, this Bill would have given the Garda powers of seizure, but also included a call for the Garda to be given the necessary resources and training to chase and apprehend people using scramblers unlawfully. Unfortunately, the Government voted down that Bill as well. It has taken the death of a young girl in Finglas for the Government to finally act. In framing the proposed legislation, the Government should take note of best practice for dealing with this problem in other countries. Communities want to see scramblers being seized and they also want to see people prosecuted. In Britain, police forces have been using a DNA spray that tags riders and bikes. This spray is an invisible, uniquely coded dye that aids in the identification of an offender, allowing for future prosecution. Drones are used to track offenders and scramblers, thereby avoiding the dangers of high-speed chase. In Britain, police forces have also used specialised scramblers to pursue and apprehend riders. It is unacceptable that people on scramblers are able to cover their faces. Along with such measures, the Garda needs to work with schools and local authorities to educate young people and parents about the dangers and legal consequences of the illegal use of scramblers. The Government must take this opportunity to tackle this menace once and for all.

Sentiment score: -0.28