Gardaí warned parents last night that children found riding "quad bikes" on public roads may be liable for prosecution.
The warning comes in the wake of an increase in the number of children found on public thoroughfares riding motorised quad bikes or All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) since Christmas.
Gardaí said they have received a number of complaints over the past two weeks about children riding quad bikes in estates. Last week, gardaí in north Wicklow reported a high number of complaints from residents in estates in and around Bray.
A Garda spokesman said: "The bikes can be seized under the Road Traffic Act if there is no insurance in place. These vehicles have sometimes as high as 50ccs of power, and therefore fall under the Road Traffic Act. If used in a field there is no problem, but once they are being used in a public location, then the proper licence documentation and registration must be in the possession of the driver or the vehicle could be seized."
Honda, which manufactures ATVs, said: "ATV operators should always wear the correct protective equipment, and this includes a helmet."