Statement on Road Safety

Green Party Leader Roderic O’Gorman TD and Senator Malcolm Noonan today expressed sympathy to the family of Grace Lynch, and called on the Minister for Transport to immediately introduce regulation on the use of scramblers on public roads.

Speaking this morning, Deputy O’Gorman said:

The death of Grace Lynch in Finglas on Sunday is a tragic reminder of the vulnerability of certain road users.  I want to offer my sympathies, those of Senator Noonan and the entire Green Party, to Grace’s family.

Scramblers and quads, driven dangerously on public roads or on public spaces, are a menace, in Dublin suburbs and in cities and towns around the country. 

All of these vehicles have uses. But when they are abused, they can cause injury and death.”

Senator Malcolm Noonan added:

“185 people lost their lives on Irish roads last year; 41 pedestrians, 14 cyclists, and three e-scooter users. 2026 could be set to continue this grim trend unless the Government shows the leadership required to make Vision Zero a reality. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with Grace’s family and friends and the whole community, who are grieving the loss of this young girl.” 

Deputy O’Gorman is now calling on the Minister for Transport to act immediately to prevent similar unnecessary loss of life:

“The Government needs to complete the regulations that it has the power to implement, to prohibit or restrict some vehicles. 

In September, I asked the Minister for Transport to set out legal provisions to prevent the abuse of scrambler bikes, e-bikes and quads on public roads and in public spaces and those regulations simply aren’t being introduced quickly enough.

Grace is not the first person to die as a result of the abuse of these vehicles. The Ministers for Transport must act.”