Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, am delighted to speak on the Bill and I wish the Minister well, as I have done in the past. Although it is an effort, it is too little too late. Deputy Stanton, who is Chairman of the justice committee and does good work there, referred to the important Scrap and Precious Metal Dealers Bill, which I introduced here on one occasion in the Minister's presence and on two previous occasions in that of her predecessor, Deputy Shatter. I discussed the Bill with the Minister's officials and was sure she was going to support it. It would have introduced traceability and accountability and would have given the tools of the trade to the Garda Síochána. The Minister is not giving the tools of the trade to the Garda Síochána. I support Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe and all her officers in County Tipperary and throughout the country. Tipperary has been dealt a serious blow, which is a pity. We used to have a proud adage, "Where Tipperary leads, Ireland follows". Tipperary is leading in terms of the crime figures. That is not acceptable because we have good people in Tipperary.

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