Over 800 e-scooters seized by gardaí as part of nationwide clampdown

Darragh Mc Donagh

More than 800 e-scooters were seized by gardaí last year as part of a major clampdown on the illegal use of the motorised vehicles.

A total of 1,694 fixed charge notices have also been issued to non-compliant riders since the introduction of e-scooter legislation in May 2024.

The seizure or detention of 817 e-scooters in 2025 represented a 150 per cent increase compared to the previous year, while a further 352 were seized in the first two months of 2026.

Nearly half of the 1,694 fixed charge notices were issued in the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR), with DMR South Central alone accounting for 18 per cent of the national total, according to figures from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

Outside the capital, the Garda division with the highest number of fixed charge notices was Kildare-Carlow, where 222 fines were issued.

This was followed by Waterford-Kilkenny with 94 fines, and Louth-Cavan-Monaghan with 86.

The lowest number of fixed charge notices for e-scooter offences was recorded in Meath-Westmeath, where just 13 fines were issued, followed by the DMR Eastern Division with 14.

The data was published by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan in response to a series of parliamentary questions from Sinn Féin TD Mark Ward.

O’Callaghan noted that the actual number of e-scooter seizures could be higher, as individual incidents occasionally involve the seizure of more than one vehicle.

“Development and implementation of road traffic legislation and policy falls within the remit of my colleague Darragh O'Brien TD, the minister for transport, and the vital role of enforcing road traffic laws is carried out by An Garda Síochána,” he said.

"Gardaí have significant legislative powers to combat the antisocial and dangerous misuse of e-scooters, e-bikes and scramblers and other such vehicles, and I am assured that An Garda Síochána continues to adopt a proactive approach in addressing this issue.”