Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he intends to initiate an internal assessment to estimate the impact the high rate of metal theft is having at present on infrastructure under the remit of his Department and consequently on service provision, specifically communications infrastructure related to the provision of broadband internet services, digital and analogue terrestrial television services, and other communications infrastructure; if he has received information outlining any such difficulties to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21940/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The protection of telecommunications infrastructure from theft is a matter for the owners of such property in the first instance. The investigation of any individual case of theft, as a criminal offence, is a matter for An Garda Síochána and is not a matter in which I have any statutory role. I am aware of reports of thefts from public lands and premises of metals for the scrap value of the stolen property. I understand from my colleague Mr. Alan Shatter T.D., Minister for Justice and Equality that in the area of metal thefts, a number of initiatives have been developed by the Garda Síochána National Crime Prevention Unit. A Metal Theft Forum under the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit has been established and has met with stakeholders particularly affected by this type of criminality including those in the communications, energy supply, transport, brewery and farming sectors to bring forward a metal theft crime prevention and reduction plan focusing on crime prevention and regulation of the scrap metal industry.