Ban on scramblers in public places expected in ‘matter of weeks’, Darragh O’Brien confirms

‘I am so happy my little girl did not die in vain’, says mother of Grace Lynch, after meeting Minister The mother of 16-year-old Grace Lynch, who died after being hit by a scrambler as she crossed a Dublin road last month, has praised progress in banning the vehicles in public, saying: “I am so happy my little girl did not die in vain.”Grace’s parents Siobhán and Martin Lynch met Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Road Safety Seán Canney on Tuesday to discuss the Government’s plan to prohibit the use of scramblers in public through what she has termed “Grace’s Law”.Following the meeting, O’Brien confirmed that the regulations should be introduced within “a matter of weeks”.“I would certainly like to see the regulations in March. I think we can do that,” he said, adding that his department’s lawyers were working on a legal definition of “scrambler” and on other areas of the planned law.READ MOREDriving testers announce work stoppage next week over uninsured vehicle concernsCyclists shouldn’t swerve their responsibility to other road usersDrive like a Dominican‘People are going to use them’: Waterford scheme promotes safe use of e-scooters, e-bikesIn a video posted on social media on Tuesday afternoon, Siobhán Lynch said the meeting went “very well” and confirmed there was “going to be a complete ban on scramblers ... which is fantastic”.“Grace’s Law will be going ahead, and it is not going to take months or years. It will be implemented hopefully within the next two to three weeks,” she said.Grace Lynch. Photograph: rip.ie The law will give gardaí “full reign to seize these bikes in any means that they want to” without repercussions, Lynch said.“As I said in Government Buildings today, they [gardaí] are here to protect and serve us and at the moment they are not being given the power to do that. Now they have been given the power to do this,” she said.“I am so happy my little girl did not die in vain,” she said, adding that O’Brien listened to her views and was “very compassionate”.She said she raised with him her desire for vendors to stop advertising the vehicles for sale to make it “literally impossible for anybody to purchase these bikes”.Lynch said this was “just one step for Grace” and the “fight is not over by any stretch of the imagination”.“I will continue to fight for that little girl because that is the least she deserves ... She is doing this for everybody and she is keeping Ireland safe.”Lynch said she intends to seek the introduction of measures to improve e-scooter and e-bike safety, with speed limits and age limits among the measures she wants to see.“For the moment Grace’s Law will be passed ... hopefully I will never ever see a scrambler on these roads again,” she said.Existing laws make it illegal to use an unregistered scrambler in a public place and illegal to use a scrambler dangerously in any location.Gardaí currently have powers to seize any vehicles being driven dangerously or without insurance, motor tax or registration, or by a driver without a licence.