Cash for Gold regulations are nearly 5 years too late – McGrath

Independent TD Mattie McGrath has accused the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald of engaging in what he has termed a pointless and unnecessary process regarding how to regulate so called Cash for Gold outlets. Deputy McGrath was speaking as the Minister prepares to launch a public consultation document today as part of her efforts to seek community and business sector input into formulating regulations for the sector:

“It absolutely beggars belief that that the Minister is going to engage in this utterly pointless process given the urgency of the situation around the sale of scrap and precious metals.

I have brought a cross party supported Private Members Bill on this issue before the Dáil on four separate occasions in 2012 and 2014 and each time the Government failed to accept it.

Both the initial Bill and the revised Bill which incorporated every suggestion of then Minister for Justice Shatter was rejected for absolutely no good reason.

I was constantly assured by every Minister who took the debate that plans to deal with this crisis were imminent; and now Minister Fitzgerald is saying they are only beginning the consultation today?

This is absolutely outrageous and proves that there was no intention whatsoever of dealing with this unregulated sector until the government were hit by the dreadful headlines emerging around rural crime.

I said at the time that these criminals who are engaging in the sale of stolen scrap or gold or precious metals were being assisted by the incompetence and inaction of this government; todays so called ‘launch’ once again points to the truth of that assertion.

They now have at least another year of breathing space in which to carry on there nefarious activities,” concluded Deputy McGrath.