Life a 'living nightmare' for mother of 16 year old killed by scrambler

The mother of a 16-year-old girl who was killed by a scrambler has said life has been a "living nightmare".

Grace Lynch was killed at the end of January after being hit in Finglas, County Dublin.

Her family has been campaigning for tougher legislation named after her.

Grace's Law, which takes effect from Friday, will ban scramblers from all public spaces in the Republic of Ireland.

Grace's mother Siobhan Lynch now wants gardaí (Irish police) to be given more powers to enforce the new laws on scramblers.

A garda officer was given a driving ban in the courts this week after chasing scramblers in Dublin.

The Garda Representative Association said members have a "genuine fear" in pursuing vehicles as they may end up being disciplined or even prosecuted.

"I'm happy that the law is being passed," Siobhan said.

"I'm not happy that she had to die for that law.

"It's a victory this time for Ireland that they have actually done something and hopefully that law will apply to Northern Ireland to England to all these places that are also scourged [by scrambler bikes] and that the guards and the police over there can start to do their jobs too."

Under the new laws, off-road motorcycles, such as a scrambler or quadbikes, are banned in all places apart from private land.

Off-road motorcycles are now only legal for use on private land by the landowner themselves, or with their written consent.

This means scramblers or quadbikes will only be used for agricultural purposes and for controlled licenced sports events.

Even though off-road scramblers have been illegal on public roads since July 2023 in Ireland, the Irish government hopes the new law will bring "additional legal clarity".

Siobhan said her family was grieving Grace's loss.

"It's like I am on autopilot. Still to this day, I still think, 'She's on a holiday. She's not gone'. And then when I have to go to her graveyard and realise she's there," she said.

"It's hard for all of us. Every single night I cry. Every single night… I have to push my feelings through in the day.

"I break down in my own time, I break down at night. For us, our entire family, it's been a living nightmare."

She also paid tribute to her daughter, who she said was very laid back, had lots of friends and wanted to get married and have children.

"She's just such a lovely kid, just full of life. All her friends, all came in from her school and said the only thing Grace wanted to be was a mother.

"When Grace passed this sitting room, she was laid out here. Oh my god, my house was full, full, I had chairs in my garden and it was just full of all of her friends. We couldn't believe it, we were like, 'Does she actually know all these people?' But she did."

In Northern Ireland, e-scooters, scramblers, go-peds, buzz boards, quads and mini-motos are restricted to off road use only.

If they are used on the road, the driver needs to fulfil a certain criteria, including having a driving license, at least third party insurance and obligatory lamps, reflectors and rear markings fitted.