Minister for Transport and RSA meet with United Bikers of Ireland

Pictured at Leinster House, Minister for Transport Dr. Leo Varadkar, and local Motorcycle enthusiast Glen Hensey from Daigean with colleagues from the United Bikers of Ireland group

On Thursday last, November 10th Noel Brett, CEO of the Road Safety Authority met with Alan Connor (Kildare) and local man Bobby Cushen (Ballyboy) of the United Bikers of Ireland (UBI) to discuss the proposed amendments to EU laws regarding scooters, motorcycles and quads. The three hour meeting took place in the RSA HQ in Ballina Co Mayo. The meeting was arranged by the department of transport after representatives of the UBI met with the minister for transport Leo Varadkar on October 18th. He advised a meeting with the RSA as this is the department corresponding with Europe on the proposed amendments. On the agenda for the meeting was, open markets, trade agreements, EU approved components list, Anti-Tampering Laws, Power restriction, Compulsory ABS, NCT for bikes and the mandatory wearing of hi-visibility jackets.
Also up for discussion was the well organised protest run held by the UBI where over three thousand five hundred bikers converged at Leinster House on October 29th. MEP Phil Prendergast accepted petitions from UBI to take to the European Commission. Bobby Cushen addressed the crowd at Leinster House and a point of note was that over the past five years the Irish biking community has raised in excess of €10.4 million for charity. Through public shows of support, signing of petitions and social media the ten member national committee are now representing a twenty thousand strong group, a formidable voice by any standard.
A public information meeting will be held in Co.Offaly VEC offices, Castle Buildings Tullamore on Thursday 17th November at 8pm to share the information from the meetings with minister Varadkar and RSA. All welcome.