Gardaí ask every Carlow secondary school to ban e-scooters from their grounds
The minimum legal age for using an e-scooter has risen from 16 to 18
Every secondary school in Co Carlow has been asked by gardaí to introduce an outright ban on e-scooters on school grounds, following a change in the law that came into force on Friday 2 October.
From that date, the minimum legal age for using an e-scooter rose from 16 to 18 as part of a wider government crackdown on safety.
In a post on the An Garda Síochána Carlow social media page, gardaí said that, as a first step in their response to the change in legislation, letters have been sent to every secondary school in the county. The letter highlights the new law and asks each school to introduce an outright ban on e-scooters on school grounds.
“An Garda Síochána would be grateful for your support. Together, we can help keep our young people safe,” the post said.
Superintendent Anthony Farrell is appealing to young people, and their parents and guardians, across Co Carlow to follow the new laws, which gardaí said are there to protect one of the most vulnerable groups of road users.
“E-scooters can be dangerous, particularly for those under 18, and the risk of serious injury, or worse, is simply too high,” he said.
The age change comes just four weeks after new rules on safety equipment were introduced. Since 4 September, all e-scooter riders have had to wear a securely fastened helmet and high-visibility clothing, and a €100 fixed charge notice can be issued for breaches of those requirements.
Also from 2 October, fees for the detention and storage of seized e-scooters doubled, to €80 for detention and the first day of storage and €30 for each additional day.
The Government moved to tighten the rules over the summer amid mounting concern about injuries to young people. Medics at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) Temple Street called for an outright ban on the devices in early July, after six children were placed on life support at the hospital within a fortnight due to e-scooter injuries. CHI has said 1,130 children and young people attended its emergency departments with e-scooter-related injuries between January 2021 and August 2025.
Gardaí recorded 754 incidents in which an e-scooter was seized in the first six months of 2026 alone.
The government has not ruled out a full ban on e-scooter use, saying a Department of Health report on the public health implications of the devices will be an important factor in its next steps.
