Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

That is fine, I have no problem being funny. Roving gangs of marauding thugs come into my county every year from all over the country. They masquerade as Travellers but they are not. They are shoddy business people, with no PRSI numbers, VAT numbers, registration or C2 forms, only cash business. They are plundering and frightening people. They have bonfires as if they had won the all-Ireland, burning rubber and coating off cables.

Limerick Junction is one of the major rail junctions in the country and a major focal point for which we have big plans. A huge number of trains criss-cross this busy junction everyday. Twice in recent times, they have gone in and stolen important cabling that supplies the signal. Thankfully, there is a modern, state-of-the-art alert mechanism in Dublin that goes off and stops the trains. As far as these people are concerned, the system is not there and there could be a head-on collision between trains. That tells us how reckless these people are even though the modern insulation sends out a red alert that all trains approaching should stop. Instead of ten minutes to get trains through the junction, it takes an hour and a half, not to mention the €500,000 it costs Iarnród Éireann to replace the cables. They take it away and have bonfires. We can see the fires but we cannot have anyone else burning something in the backyard, and rightly so. These people act with impunity and it is totally wrong. They must be dealt with and we need action.

I have pleading letters from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, ICMSA, looking for legislation. The organisation contacted successive Governments. Those involved in the campaign to save Hume Street hospital contacted me and the Irish Georgian Society contacted Members and met me. Muintir na Tíre, which operates the community alert programme, has raised this issue. Community alert units have weekly meetings featuring stories about pillage and plunder of people's houses, yards and farms. Nothing is safe from these marauding villains.

The Bill sets out the obligation to be fulfilled by precious metal and scrap metal dealers for obtaining and retaining proof of identity from the sources providing goods to them in order to provide a mechanism for verification that the products offered for sale derive from a legitimate source. It is basic and also provides that all metal dealers must register with the Garda Síochána so that the Garda Síochána can have a record of every dealer in the country. That is included in every item of legislation and it is vital for the Garda Síochána. Retaining records and communicating with the Garda Síochána is similar to what any business person is subject to, with NERA, VAT inspectors and tax inspectors. These are the laws of the State and we must abide by them. Even though they are cumbersome, we must deal with them, yet these people operate with impunity. They are not all Irish people - they are also from foreign shores. The laws have been tightened in other countries and the problem is being exported. Our valuable heritage and quality craftsmanship took skilled labourers and craftsmen hours, weeks and years to create. They were dedicated to the special arts and trades they loved and protected.

I refer to the old tinkers who came to my area and made coal shuttles and billy cans. They exchanged them with the good families in our communities - urban and rural - willing to give aid such as a few pounds or milk, sugar and butter. I have happy memories of walking to school past their camps and seeing tinsmiths making goods. That trade has been diminished because they have given a bad name to those proud generations, who we should recognise, incorporate and remember. They should be recognised in museums.

The information sought is commonsense, including name, address, PPS number, proof of identification, a complete description of the good sold and the price paid. Although I have not included it in the legislation, the money should be paid by cheque or draft. The nature of the transaction and a signed declaration that the property is not stolen should also be included.

A 30-day waiting period is vital. If properties are robbed today, it is no good if the items are melted down tomorrow. After reporting it to the Garda Síochána, one cannot identify much if the property is in a furnace or has been melted and sold on. The Bill also sets out the penalties that will apply to offences, with the first offence attracting a fine of €1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 90 days and a second and subsequent offence attracting a fine not exceeding €10,000 and nine months imprisonment. We must have tangible factors to make it scary for these people so they do not act with impunity, plunder, steel and cause havoc.

We should examine the possibility of revoking waste facility permits where dealers are found to be in breach of legislation. I am delighted with the attendance in the Chamber and I appeal to Deputies to consider this carefully.

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