Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Cheann Comhairle, leat féin, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, agus leis na hoifigigh in Oifig na mBillí.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Ceann Comhairle's office and staff, the staff in the Bills Office, my staff and Yvonne Murphy for their help and co-operation in putting together this very important Bill. I have received much support for it across a diverse range of groups. I thank all those involved for their help and engagement with me since last autumn. I also thank fellow Deputies from the Technical Group, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin who are offering support.

The purpose of the Bill is to implement stricter controls relating the purchasing, selling, trading, consignment selling and otherwise transferring for value more than three times per year second-hand property that is precious or scrap metal. There is not much need for a lot of background in regard to this matter because I am sure every Deputy, citizen and household is aware of why legislation is required. Unfortunately, the theft of precious metals, such as gold, silver and platinum, and metals, such as copper, lead and bronze, has become commonplace due to the huge increase in the value of these properties.

We have all heard stories, including some very sad and traumatic ones. In my county of Tipperary, thieves were prepared to go into the sacristy, a sacred place, in Holycross Abbey and wrestle from a concrete structure, a safe which held the relics of the true cross. It caused huge trauma to the parish community and to the parish priest, Fr. Tom Breen. That the thieves stooped so low, were so blatant and so uncaring set a new low. Thankfully, with the help of the gardaí in Thurles and beyond, they were relocated and placed back in a safer situation in Holycross Abbey. I commend the gardaí in this regard. A wonderful parish community celebration day was held there last Sunday week to celebrate that. Many people prayed to St. Anthony or whoever and the relics of the true cross were returned to their rightful place. However, that is only one example.

In Castletown, County Laois, a huge ornate memorial of sentimental value which was erected to commemorate the sad loss of 30 young people from that parish community was stolen. Again, thieves moved in in the dead of night, sawed it down, took it away and probably melted it down. Hurt and angst were caused. There are no boundaries over which the cowboys and rogues who are operating here and plundering our national treasures and wrecking havoc on families will not cross.

Hume Street hospital in Dublin is not too far from here. Teams arrived with trucks, high visibility jackets, hard hats and brass necks in broad daylight. People thought they were workers doing a repair job but they stripped the roof from that building over a number of weeks. The save Hume Street hospital campaign has been in touched with me. The thieves destroyed that property, which is very valuable. Once one damages the roof of a structure and subjects a building to the elements, it will decay very quickly.

The number of homes pillaged and plundered and families devastated has been a problem for many years. It is difficult enough at this point for people to make ends meet, to survive and to provide for their families. We all accept one's home is one's castle and I thank the previous Minister and the current one for bringing in legislation in order that we can protect our homes when we are in them. However, when one is out at work, at school or gone to a church service, whether Mass or otherwise, one's home may be targeted. It has never happened my home, thank God, but I have been in hundreds of homes over the years which have been targeted.

I am involved in community alert, a wonderful organisation, sponsored by Muintir na Tíre, which, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, does tremendous work and I commend the volunteers and organisers. I have been in many homes, the sanctity of which has been intruded upon. People's homes feel unclean from the day of the break-in onwards. Thieves go into people's sitting rooms, bedrooms, etc., and wreck havoc. In some cases, they do not even take silver but just take gold rings, bracelets and so on but the damage they do when breaking in and when in the house is unbelievable. They do some nasty stuff when they break in.

We must introduce regulation. We have witnessed an increase in scrap and precious metal sales, including cash for gold and cash for scrap type businesses. While there are many legitimate businesses in this industry, unfortunately, like everything else, the cowboys, who want to make a quick buck, ruin it for everybody else. We must consider legislation which is long overdue. I raised this issue with the previous Minister on several occasions in the last Dáil and I understand he set up a review group. I tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister last September and the reply I received was that the work of the review group was almost completed. Where is it? This is a challenge which must be met.

I am often critical of this new Government but I compliment it on introducing Friday sittings in order that opposition Members can introduce legislation. I appeal to the many Fine Gael and Labour Party backbenchers and others to be more receptive to these Bills. The last two Bills introduced by the Technical Group were voted down, which is a pity. A Bill was introduced by Deputy Catherine Murphy and another by Deputy Stephen Donnelly on the family home and probably had a financial element but this Bill does not. It provides for the protection of our citizens. There is nothing political in it nor does it have any cost implications for the Government.

The Garda needs this legislation because, in many instances, it is powerless to follow up on this type of crime. As we know, items can be stolen at night and moved on immediately. Rings or precious jewellery of sentimental value, perhaps belonging to one's deceased parents or grandparents, can be literally posted on. Families like to treasure such items and normally place them in a prominent place in the home, which can be easily accessed. Such items can be put in an envelope, dropped in the post box and one can get cash back in an envelope. That is crazy in any modern democracy.

I do not want more regulation, which will stifle business. I am always talking about how there is too much regulation and bureaucracy in business but this is a case where there is no regulation.

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