Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has called for the new legislation put in place to combat the reckless use of scramble bikes in built up areas to be put into action locally after an elderly woman was struck by a scrambler in Killinarden Estate earlier today in a hit and run incident.

Teachta Crowe said:

“A distraught family have contacted me to tell me that their elderly mother was knocked down earlier today and is being treated in Tallaght University Hospital for injuries sustained.

“The pensioner was knocked down by a scrambler bike while crossing the road in Killinarden Estate.

“The scrambler driver failed to stop, and local Garda are looking at CCTV footage. The hit and run happened as the woman was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing towards the local shop and post office.

“Residents in Killinarden should be able to walk to their local shop or post office without the fear of being hit by scrambler bikes or mopeds. Unfortunately, this was an accident waiting to happen with these vehicles being given a free pass to drive recklessly around estates with impunity through years of inaction.

“I have raised this with senior Garda consistently over the years, and even drafted legislation only for it to be rejected by successive governments.

“New legislation has finally been passed in the Oireachtas to seize these bikes. It’s been highly successful in Limerick City and County, but I am not aware of this is rolling out locally in this policing district. Prior to this unfortunate incident, I had put a question down for the next Joint Policing Committee meeting asking what has been done locally since the new Legislation has been enacted, the amount of scramblers and mopeds seized or stopped, and how it’s being rolled out locally.

“The pensioner and her family are personally known to me and well liked in the locality. Local residents are livid and deeply upset at this incident. They have been raising their legitimate concerns over the years about these out of control bikes and scramblers, but, rightly, feel they have been abandoned and left to deal with the fallout from these machines that have left people dead and seriously injured in similar incidents in other areas.”