Despite an official Department of Transport response outlining that all bicycles are part of a plan for mandatory helmets and high-vis, Tnaiste Simon Harris has said in the Dil this morning that bicycles are not included, but he left the door open for electric bikes to be included. In Irish and EU law, there is no distinction between pedal bicycles and those with electric assistance, provided the assistance cuts out at 25km/h, and the maximum continuous rated power does not exceed 250W.As covered in the IrishCycle.com explainer on scooters and e-bikes, helmets are already required for all e-bikes that do not meet the above-mentioned requirement to be classified as a bicycle. In a written reply yesterday, a Department of Transport spokesperson said: Requirements for mandatory helmets and high-visibility equipment are currently being considered for e-scooters, bicycles and e-bikes.In the Dil today, the Tnaiste said: Im certainly not behind that proposal, nor is there one. He said this in response to questions from Green Party leader Roderic OGorman. Deputy OGorman said he welcomed measures to tackle illegal scrambler users, and said: From media reports, I understand that a second report was withdrawn at or before Cabinet, one [a proposal] that would have made helmets and high-vis jackets mandatory for people using e-scooters and e-bikes. But also for people using ordinary push bikes.OGorman said no EU country makes helmets mandatory for cyclists because they know criminalising ordinary bicycle users in this way makes no sense. He said it would likely impact the uptake of cycling and questioned how DublinBikes and other bike share scheme such as Bleeper, would work. Of course, helmets are an important part of how cyclists can protect themselves, but criminalising the absence of a helmet is basically saying that youre going to reduce cycling deaths and injuries by reducing cycling itself, he said.He said the Governments focus should be on evidence-based proposals, such as those proposed by cycling groups at yesterdays joint transport committee meeting, including cycle paths and the abandoned 30km/h default limit rollout.He added: Irishcycle.com reports that you are one of the main people pushing mandatory helmets for cyclists, on a push bike. I dont know if thats true or not. Is it true?Tnaiste Simon Harris said: Im certainly not behind that proposal, nor is there one but firstly, thank you for raising this issue because road safety is an extraordinarily important issue, and our road safety stats, in this country, are going the wrong direction.And again, I think most people agree on this in relation to e-scooters, we do need to do more, most particularly in relation to our children. Its already not allowed for somebody under the age of 16 to be on an e-scooter. However, when we talk to our doctors, as we all do, the number one cause of childhood brain trauma in Ireland now is e-scooter accidents; its horrifying. Yes, it is illegal. But when I talk to Gardai, I think the current structure, in my view, is a bit cumbersome, he said.Harris said he wants to make it easier for Gardai to seize e-scooters operating illegally and ensure the devices are not returned to people. He said that the Minister for Transport, Darragh OBrien, and Minister of State Sen Canney are to return to a future Government meeting with proposals. He said more needed to be done around wearing education on our roads, and that helmets were important, but they should not be mandatory for cyclists of non-electric bicycles.There are no plans to change the law to make that mandatory [helmets for cyclists]. Quite frankly, I think that would be a really bad use of Garda time. On one level, I dont think the immediate answer to everything has to be new law, he said. He said: I actually saw some reporting of the comments yesterday [made by cycling groups at the Transport Committee], and I found myself largely in agreement to a lot of the points we made by Cycling Ireland, which is why I was rather abused with some of the reportage this morning, but such is life.He directly added: But we can differentiate. I think we should differentiate in this country. I think the letter e is a bit of a giveaway, and like, if something is motorised, if something is electric, if something can do great speed, I think thats one thing, and I think that needs to be looked at.As covered above, all e-bikes except pedal bicycles with electric assistance already have a helmet-wearing requirement. The Department of Transport regularly refers to electric-assisted bicycles as e-bikes.Deputy OGorman said: Thank you, Tnaiste, I absolutely welcome your confirmation that there is no plan, no proposals, for mandatory helmets for cyclists using push bikes. The Tnaiste said: We all want to see a reduction in deaths and injuries. I think were all alarmed. Im certainly alarmed at the the dangers that were seeing on our roads more distractions than ever before in cars and some distractions that are illegal that shouldnt be happening, others are just seem to happen that the environment in general being more distrcting, more road users, more volume of vehicles and indeed an increase in cycling, which is a good thing that we want to continue to support, but also both driver and cycle education is really important too.On e-scooters, I take your point that there are laws and regulations there. I remain to be convinced that theres not more to be done on e-scooters. I just think there is. Im deeply concerned about this, he said. He said he wants the Government to listen to the Gardai to ensure that whats in place for e-scooters is enforceable and practical.He added: Im happy to have further engagement with Cycling Ireland on this.