Retailers are being urged to take greater responsibility for how they market and sell e-scooters, amid concerns that some products are being promoted in ways that could encourage illegal use by children or mislead consumers about Irish road laws.

Fine Gael TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Deputy Michael Murphy, said some well-known Irish retailers are selling e-scooters in a manner that could put children at risk and leave buyers unknowingly on the wrong side of the law.

Under Irish law, e-scooter users must be at least 16 years of age, while e-scooters used on public roads cannot have a design speed exceeding 20km/h.

Deputy Murphy said some retailers are marketing e-scooters directly at children, including models described as suitable for those aged over eight, while another scooter suitable for children over six is capable of reaching speeds of 16km/h.

His comments come as a recent Children's Health Ireland study found a 50 per cent increase in the number of children and young people admitted to hospital with traumatic brain injuries following e-scooter incidents. "Parents should be able to trust that a toy shop isn’t selling something that’s illegal for their child to use on public roads. If a scooter can’t legally be ridden by anyone under 16, it shouldn’t be marketed like it’s for an 8-year-old’s birthday," said Deputy Murphy.

The Fine Gael TD also raised concerns about retailers advertising e-scooters capable of speeds of up to 25km/h as being suitable for "daily city commuting" or "navigating city traffic", despite exceeding the legal speed limit for use on Irish public roads.

"You can’t advertise something as ‘perfect for your commute’ when it’s faster than what’s allowed on Irish roads. That’s not a small print issue – it means the customer walks out of the shop with something they can’t legally use as sold," Deputy Murphy said.

Deputy Murphy said the issue extends beyond individual retailers, with similar marketing practices identified on popular online shopping platforms, including listings delivering to Ireland for e-scooters with claimed top speeds of up to 105km/h without warnings about Irish legal requirements.

He noted that Gardaí have the power to confiscate e-scooters from under-16s, while parents may face prosecution if they allow children to use them on public roads. He also said retailers have a responsibility to ensure customers understand the legal restrictions before purchasing, whether in-store or online.