Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I am pleased the Minister of State has gone a long way on the issue of clothing collections. RTE will this week broadcast a programme on these types of collection. It is a scandal that people, in their generosity, place clothes outside their homes in the belief that they will be collected by a charity whereas the recipients, businesses in eastern Europe, are making millions of euro from the practice. I am pleased the amendment will make it an offence for organisations which are not deemed to be charities to give an impression that they are charities in material delivered to homes. I hope this law will be enforced.

I have never encountered such annoyance and aggravation as I have on this issue. People have washed and cleaned clothes in the belief that they were destined to a charity only to find they are destined for thugs and criminals who are making a great deal of money out of what is big business.

I am disappointed the Minister of State did not deal specifically with mass cards. When people buy mass cards signed by a priest in shops or from individuals, they do so believing they are supporting the church. Instead, it is not clear where the money goes. The religious orders have found that in many cases the signatures on mass cards purport to be those of priests who are dead. This practice is wrong and needs to be stopped. The Minister of State or his officials will probably argue the matter is one for the church. They have informed me, for example, that it is difficult to deal with the issue in legislation. It should be addressed because it is wrong that people are paying good money in the belief that they are supporting a charity or the church when, in some cases, we do not know where the money is going.

I hope the Minister of State will discuss this issue with the Attorney General before resubmitting these amendments to the Seanad. Perhaps it will be possible to draft legislation with the assistance and support of the church, which is also annoyed about the practice. When people pay for a mass card, they hope a mass will be said. In some cases, we do not know who signed the card, whether the priest named on it is alive or whether the mass will ever be said. People are generous and decent and want to support the church and charities but this issue annoys them. I am disappointed the Minister of State was unable to address the issue. However, I support the amendment on clothes which I hope will deal with the cowboys, of whom we have many.

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