Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for remaining in the House so late on a Thursday evening. He has drawn the short straw.

Crime is an issue that needs constant and careful consideration and investment. It is a ubiquitous issue that invariably becomes heated in advance of a general election but there is a real security threat that can be dealt with simply by better use of technology. Much of the recent hyperbole surrounding rural crime fails spectacularly to offer real solutions.

During a recent debate in the House I referenced the fact that one can install software on a mobile phone so that should it be lost or stolen it can be tracked down, even if it is switched off. This can be done very easily and cheaply. There is one common denominator linking almost every crime, including rural crime.

Criminals do not use their own cars when travelling to commit crimes. They steal vehicles to do so, sometimes weeks or months in advance of committing the crime. I propose that tracking devices or software be installed or retrofitted on a phased basis on all cars and vehicles. Where a vehicle with tracking software was stolen, the owner could report the theft to the Garda, providing either a password or key that would allow the Garda to track the vehicle electronically. Owners would not track their vehicles as to do so would expose them to great risk. The criminals involved are at their most vulnerable in the period between the theft of the car from an innocent owner's driveway and the point at which it enters a secure lock-up or breaker's yard. Criminals know that stolen cars can blend in with other traffic on the streets, highways and motorways. However, if a tracking device is activated, a stolen car will, from a technological perspective, light up like a Christmas tree. Garda resources, which are in great demand, could then be targeted at tracking stolen cars, rather than used in a random manner.

The installation and activation of tracking software requires the support and co-operation of the Departments of Justice and Equality and Transport, Tourism and Sport. I call on the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, to raise this matter with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, in the first instance, and request that it liaise with the Department of Justice and Equality. Tracking technology could be rolled out alongside the new technology to be installed in Garda stations under the capital plan.

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI, would also have to co-operate with the roll-out of tracking software. While SIMI will deny this is the case, its members benefit from car theft because stolen vehicles must be replaced or, in the case of damage, repaired. The co-operation of the Insurance Federation of Ireland would also be key.

I ask the Department to introduce incentives and legislation to commence the immediate roll-out of tracking devices and software to enable one link in the chain of crime, the stolen car, to be removed. If one takes stolen cars from criminals, one removes a vital cog from their apparatus.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am replying to this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who could not be present and conveys his apologies.

I welcome the Deputy's intentions in raising this important issue. While the offence of taking a vehicle without the lawful authority of the owner is provided for in section 112 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, matters relating to the investigation and consequent recovery of stolen vehicles are a matter for An Garda Síochána. As the Deputy indicated, this issue comes within the remit of two Departments.

Setting aside any civil libertarian or data protection considerations related to statutorily providing for the fitting of such tracking devices to motor vehicles, from a vehicle standards perspective, the Minister is not aware of any European Union proposals mandating the fitting of location tracking devices for the specific purpose of tracking stolen vehicles. European regulations set out the type approval requirements for member states to adopt, so that no member state may impose any additional requirements that would present a barrier to the cross-border trade in motor vehicles in the European Union.

While such tracking devices are currently available for purchase by individual car owners for fitting to their vehicles, the choice to purchase and use such a device is entirely a matter for the individual citizen. To legislate for the fitting of such devices would require that the appropriate standards, testing and verification procedures, as well as the enforcement of a failure to fit such a device, would have to be carefully determined. In essence, providing for a legal requirement to fit such a tracking device would also involve making the failure to fit such a device a criminal offence.

The Minister's primary function in respect of road traffic is to promote and ensure that the most appropriate and best practice road safety and vehicle engineering safety standards are implemented in order that any potential road traffic collisions and consequent injuries and fatalities on Ireland's road network are reduced. Given the primary remit of the Minister and Road Safety Authority in promoting road safety and the necessity to meet EU type approval requirements for vehicle standards, the Minister has no proposals to introduce regulations mandating the fitting of locations tracking devices in order to track stolen vehicles.

The Deputy raised an interesting example and this technology would have benefits across many Departments. I will convey his idea to the Ministers for Justice and Equality and Transport, Tourism and Sport. It may be possible to raise this matter at European level. I will join the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Environment, Community and Local Government in meeting the Commissioner with responsibility for the competition agenda next week. The recent issue concerning Volkswagen will be discussed at the meeting. I will raise the matter at the meeting and I would be pleased to pursue or investigate it at European level. If such a step were to be taken, it would have to be done at European level.

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. I acknowledge that devices are available for purchase by individual car owners and that it is entirely a matter for owners if they wish to do so. What would be the point of tracking one's stolen vehicle to a lock-up or breaker's yard that is being manned by criminals? The car owner would probably not be able to pass the information to the Garda because it would be too late. The tracking devices currently available can generally be dismantled. While it may well be easy to dismantle them, at least under my proposal Garda would have access to information on stolen vehicles at the critical time, namely, in the period between theft and storage. If criminals believe or realise that one of these devices is fitted to a car, would they be prepared to risk coming under immediate Garda surveillance and getting caught?

I accept that a multi-agency approach is required, specifically co-operation between the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Justice and Equality. Deputies repeatedly encounter the silo aspect of Government. Different Ministers have responsibility for different Departments and problems arise when one raises an issue that traverses Departments. This culture needs to be addressed.

Tracking technology is improving and becoming cheaper all the time. We need to find a legislative solution for implementing a technological framework that would revolutionise the capacity of the Garda Síochána to combat crime, particularly mobile crime, by taking the legs from under the criminal. The Government must give this issue much greater priority, especially against the background of the earlier debate on criminal justice legislation and the public discussion that has taken place in recent weeks.

I urge the Minister of State to raise this issue with the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Justice and Equality. I suggest that a feasibility study and pre-legislative work be done to assess whether there are any pitfalls in my proposal. A legislative solution could be found that enables the use of this existing technology. Additional resources are being provided to the Garda, including new recruits and extra vehicles. Smart policing means we must give serious consideration to using technology to beat criminals. Investment in tracking technology would deliver a significant return to the State. I urge the Minister to take my proposal to the appropriate Departments.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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As I stated, I have no problem conveying the Deputy's proposal to both the relevant Departments. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport would have liked to have been in the House to respond on this issue. This matter is not one for national governments as we are subject to clear European regulations in respect of type approval requirements for vehicles. I stress, therefore, that any solution needs to be provided at European level. That is not to say the Government cannot push the issue. However, European regulations would be required before the Deputy's proposal could be implemented. I do not have a problem raising the issue on behalf of the Deputy when we meet the Commissioner next week.

I am also happy to bring this to further meetings and to encourage the two Ministers to take it on.

It is not at all a case of silo government. In the last three or four years, there has been a great deal more joined-up thinking in Departments. I am a vivid example of this as I am at two Departments. It is very stressful when one is trying to work in two Departments. Joking aside, we recognise that we need to have cross-government decision-making and Departments working together. That will not be a blockage here. It is doable, it is not a blockage that it needs to be sponsored by two Departments. It is something that needs to challenged at a European level. There are two and more excellent MEPs the Deputy can link with to drive the agenda. I will certainly raise it at EU Commission level and our Ministers will bring it forward here. Something like this needs a co-ordinated approach across the board, but it is doable when it is co-ordinated properly.