Louth election candidate welcomes illegal quad bike clampdown efforts

Local election candidate John Sheridan has welcomed new proposals to crack down on illegal use of quads, scramblers and dirt bikes.

The Fianna Fail candidate said: "I think a lot of communities know issues of anti social behaviour involving scramblers and quads and frequently it does involve teenagers. Often this dangerous use of scramblers is off road and Gardaí are powerless to intervene when it's on private property or fields."

He added: "The new Fianna Fáil proposal would see fines of up to €5000 for parents of children caught using scramblers or quads. Separately, there would be new seizure powers for Gardaí and there would be fines for anyone selling a scrambler or quad to someone under 18. The penalties are striking but we need new initiatives to tackle this problem. We have all seen use of scramblers across the area by young people.

"In rural areas, there is of course perfectly legal use of quads for agricultural reasons and that is not the target of these proposals at all. It is about intervening in anti social behaviour which is both dangerous to those engaged in it, but also a threat to the general public."

Mr Sheridan concluded: "There is of course wider issues about garda resources to tackle this problem and funding for services to young people to help avoid drink, drugs or anti social behaviour, but that's for Fine Gael in government to address. "