A Dublin councillor says there’s “no place” for scrambler bikes on public paths and roads.
Larry O’Toole, Sinn Féin councillor for Artane-Whitehall, says a scrambler can be a “deadly weapon in the wrong hands”.
It comes after a hit-and-run incident in the Priorswood Road area of Dublin 17 over the weekend involving a scrambler bike.
The crash left a woman in her 20s with serious injuries, while the motorcyclist failed to remain at the scene.
Speaking on Lunchtime Live, Cllr O’Toole said scrambler bikes have become a problem throughout the city.
He said: “I’d implore parents to please not encourage the use of these - there’s no place in society today for these scramblers to be brought out on the road.
“I would also make a plea to young people: this is anti-social behaviour, and this is something that’s going to lead to deaths.
“[Gardaí] have to identify where these bikes are being kept, and then at every opportunity, they should be seized and taken away.
"They are a danger - a deadly weapon in the wrong hands.”
He says it’s also “purely irresponsible” to see adults using scramblers while “having small children” sitting on the bikes.
Cllr O'Toole said members of his party in the Oireachtas are attempting to introduce legislation to tackle the scrambler problem.
However, he said he'll be meeting with senior gardaí and council officials this week "to try to come with some solution locally".
'Atrocious'
Emma Louise, Public Relations Officer for Tallaght Rugby Club, says scramblers are also a problem in her area.
She said: “We’ve seen scramblers being driven across our pitches, destroying the grounds.
“It’s just atrocious... Week-on-week we’re seeing thread marks on our pitches.
“Two weeks ago, we had a senior game in Tymon [Park[… guys were actively on their bikes, literally metres away from the pitch, tearing around on mopeds and quad bikes.”
She said her own club is “actively looking” for more secure pitches due to such anti-social issues.
The club earlier this year said their pitch was left ‘unusable’ after vandals drove a car onto the grounds and set it on fire.
