Eamon Ryan's e-scooter U-turn set to ban 15-year-old users

In particular, Mr Ryan pointed to the absence of a national identification card system as the key reason why limiting e-scooters’ use by age could not be enforced.

“You can’t enforce identification,” Mr Ryan told the committee. “So the policing of this is the primary reason why it wouldn’t be enforceable. So introducing a law which is not enforceable is bad law.”

However, the Department of Transport has now confirmed that, following a series of representations from Justice Minister Helen McEntee, as well as An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority, over safety concerns, the age limit of 16 for e-scooter users is being introduced.

Earlier this year, the Government passed legislation to allow e-scooters to be legalised on Irish roads.

As part of the plan, e-scooters will now be classified as personal powered transporters, with individual regulations to be completed in the coming weeks. E-scooters remain illegal on the roads until the regulations are signed.

Roads Minister Jack Chambers told the Irish Examiner  that once the regulations are enacted, it will be important to keep them under review.

“They’re obviously a part of overall sustainable mobility, which are being used in cities and towns globally, but they also present a serious road safety risk to the people who are using e-scooters but also vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians in particular,” he said.

“So we have to continually monitor and review the regulations we’re assigning and change them if required, because there’s a concern that we’ll see an escalating number of deaths and injuries from e-scooters as more people use them.”

Late last month, a man in his 50s died after a crash in Sligo between an e-scooter and a van.