LAST UPDATE | 7 hrs ago

AMAZON HAS PULLED the sale of an e-scooter that is not in compliance with Irish regulations, as other major retailers including Smyths Toys have been called upon to reexamine their products for sale.

The concern is that some products can reach speeds well above the legal limit on Irish roads of 20 km/h.

The move comes as the government said it plans to examine a potential ban on the vehicles after a series of serious incidents involving them – a number of such incidents leading to children acquiring traumatic brain injuries.

Children’s Health Ireland said the number of children and young people presenting with these injuries has shot up by 50% as a result of the widespread use of e-scooters.

Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy, who chairs the Oireachtas Transport Committee, said today he welcomed the move by Amazon to remove a foldable e-scooter from its Irish site.

He added that an investigation is underway at the retailer.

Under Irish law, e-scooter users must be at least 16 years old, and devices used on public roads cannot exceed a design speed of 20 km/h.

Another online retailer, Ali Express, has removed an e-scooter product from sale in Ireland.

“Two retailers have since taken action. But it isn’t enough,” Murphy said. “Others need to front up now and put people’s safety and the well-being of children first and pull the sale of these products. Anything less is unacceptable.”

The Green Party has been calling for e-scooters marketed to under 16s, and those capable of travelling faster than 20kph, to be banned from sale.

In particular, the Green Party in Cork has called on Smyths Toys to remove e-scooters targeted at children.

They said that Green party councillor for Cork City North East, Oliver Moran, visited Smyths Toys on Maylor Street in Cork city on Saturday, and found the company to still be selling e-scooters to children.

These were advertised as being for users up to 165cm (5′ 5″) in height and capable of travelling at 14 km/h. Safety equipment was sold separately.

A small sign at floor level said: “Electric Scooters are for private use only. Not to be used on public roads or pavements. Always check local laws and regulations to see where and how you may use an electric scooter.”

Moran, said: “A toy store is somewhere special for children… It shouldn’t be a place that lures children into illegal or dangerous activities.

“A small sign at floor level absolving the retailer of responsibility doesn’t cut it. We should expect more from toy stores.

“If other retailers can pull scooters that don’t meet regulations for adults, Smyths can pull those that don’t meet them for children.

“If they don’t, I think any parent who boycotts Smyths will be justified until they do.”

Green Party spokesperson on transport, Councillor Feljin Jose said: “If you sell an escooter to a child, or buy one for a child, then you should be held accountable, just as you would if you bought them cigarettes or alcohol.”

He said that there needs to be enforcement of the existing ban on their use for under 16s, accompanied by a ban at point of sale.

Smyths Toys has been contacted for comment.

Michael Murphy TD said that other e-scooters for sale online “claimed to reach top speeds of up to 45 km/h”, and some are marketed to children as young as six.

One e-scooter currently advertised for sale by a major Irish toy retailer says it is suitable for children aged six and above, and can reach speeds of 16 km/h.

“I now call on all other retailers to follow suit and pull these e-scooters from being sold in their shops and online,” he continued.

“A child’s health and a person’s well-being is far more important than any business profit margin.”

A meeting is to take place between Tánaiste Simon Harris, the Taoiseach, relevant ministers and the Garda Commissioner next week on the issue of e-scooters.

Additional reporting by Ottoline Spearman