Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2020
105. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has considered measures to reduce thefts of catalytic converters such as requiring proof of vehicle ownership before catalytic converters can be sold on the market. [14832/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIssues concerning the theft and handling of stolen property are matters for the Minister for Justice and Equality. Under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, maximum sentences of 10 years are provided for in the case of offences of theft and handling of stolen property; while maximum sentences of 5 years are provided for the offence of possession of stolen property.
While regulation of the scrap metal industry including second hand car parts is not a matter within the remit of my Department, the regulation of waste activities is, of course, relevant to the industry. In order to improve traceability of waste received and to counter the trade in stolen metal, an amendment to the Waste Management (Facility Permit and Registration) Regulations 2007 was introduced to require the following at all permitted facilities receiving/purchasing waste:
- the production of proof of identity and current address of the person supplying the material,
- records to be kept of the registration number and waste collection permit number of the delivery vehicle,
- that records be kept describing the materials, time and date of sale, weight and amount paid, and
- a signed statement by the person supplying the material that they are the lawful owner of the material.
Under the National Waste Enforcement Priorities 2020, local authorities have been instructed to undertake appropriate inspections to ensure compliance by waste facility operators with these enhanced traceability requirements. In addition officials from my Department continue to be actively involved in the Metal Theft Forum, which is a collaborative working group between State stakeholders and industry representatives to improve information sharing around the issue of metal theft.
In line with the commitment set out in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future - I will shortly be publishing an ambitious Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy which will contain further actions to strengthen waste enforcement at national, regional and local levels.
