Grace Lynch’s parents issue ‘better keep word’ warning to Govt on ‘first step’ plans to rid Irish streets of scramblers

GRACE Lynch’s parents have vowed to keep on fighting to get scramblers off the streets and told the Government: “You better keep your word.”

Tragic Grace, 16, died after she was hit by one of the high-powered bikes in her native Finglas, Dublin, on the way to see boyfriend Harry Byrne on January 25.

Following the horror tragedy, Grace’s grieving mum Siobhan and dad Martin have been waging a public crusade for a ban on scramblers in our parks and on our roads.

The Irish Sun’s Ban The Bikes campaign has backed calls from Grace’s family.

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has now drafted new regulations – to be called Grace’s Law – that will outlaw any use of scrambler bikes in any public space in Ireland.

After meeting with Grace’s parents on Tuesday, Minister O’Brien revealed the ban on scramblers will become law next month.

The Lynch family insist the new law banning the bikes is just a “first step” and have pledged to “never stop fighting” until they are ALL off our streets.

Speaking to the Irish Sun, determined Siobhan vowed she “won’t stop” battling to prevent further scrambler bike tragedies so other families do not have to suffer.

She said: “This fight is not over.

“This law must be enforced. I will continue to fight until all these bikes are off the streets.”

Dad Martin urged the Government to “keep their word” to smash the scourge of scramblers and give gardai the manpower to “go after” dangerous bikes.

He told us today: “The ban on scramblers we have been assured will be back from the Attorney General and into law within three weeks. It is a good step forward. It is important to get this in place first.

“Then we need enforcement. Gardai need the resources to go after these bikes.

“And we need to look at the issue of sales of these bikes, how they are sold, who is buying them, age restrictions, that all needs to be looked at later.

“They (the Government) need to get the ball rolling on all of this.

“We will not stop until all these bikes are taken off the streets.

“There needs to be tougher laws on e-scooters and e-bikes as well.

“We want them (the Government) to follow through on their word. They promised us, they assured us they were going to get this done, so we took them on their word. They better keep their word.”

The confirmation of the new law cracking down on scramblers came on Tuesday as dozens of illegal bikes were seized during a major garda operation.

Cops revealed they searched 13 homes as part of Operation Meacan targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs and related criminal activity.

Amid the raids in the Ballymun area of Dublin on Tuesday, gardai seized 44 illegal bikes and scramblers under the Roads Traffic Act 2023.

The vehicles seized included 18 e-scooters, 14 e-bikes, two motorbikes, three Surrons and seven mini quad bikes.

A stash of drugs, cash and weapons were also found during the searches, with two people arrested.

A teenager was detained after €9,000 worth of cannabis was found at one property.

In a separate search at another location, a man in his 20s was arrested after €2,000 worth of Zopiclone and Alprazolam prescription medicines was bagged.

The operation involved members from the community response, drugs and armed support units as well as Dublin City Council dog wardens.

Another man in his 20s was also arrested at a checkpoint during the operation for driving under the influence.

Reacting to the seizure of illegal bikes and scramblers during the property raids in Ballymun, Grace’s dad Martin welcomed the fresh focus on the lethal machines.

But Martin called for gardai to be given the “power and resources” to intercept reckless thugs dangerously rampaging through communities on high-powered bikes.

Martin told us: “There seems to be a big focus on these bikes now which is welcome. But so much more needs to be done.

“The latest garda operation, as I understand it, wasn’t primarily based on the road traffic side, it was a drug-related operation.

“I did point out to the minister during our meeting that even though they gave us figures for 2025 about seizures of these bikes, I asked him could he clarify if they were seized through raids or where people actively stopped while riding the bikes. And they hadn’t got the figures.

“So I would like more done on enforcement. We have asked for the guards to have the powers to intercept people on these bikes in public spaces, particularly when they are a danger to the public.

“The gardai need to be given the full backing in terms of powers and resources to go after these bikes.

“We need more gardai out in communities seizing and intercepting these bikes.”