The Long Goodbye to the Gold Fuelled High!

 Cash for Gold Shop Stopped in Tracks by Midas MEP "Following representations to Minister Shatter, last year, I am pleased to report that Minister Shatter has confirmed that the Department of Justice is finalising a report on the criminal aspects of the "Cash for Gold" trade. 

"Welcoming the upcoming report Higgins outlined that It is likely that it will lead to a dramatic clean up of the largely unregulated trade.""Cash for Gold shops are a parasite on our society.  Shatter has confirmed that he will examine a range of ways in which to deal with the outlets."

"I contacted the Minister last year to outline my growing concern over the unregulated operation of 'Cash for Gold' & scrap metal dealers.""Last year the country was devastated by a spate of jewellery & metal thefts.  I impressed upon the Minister the urgent need for action in order to stop such business offering cash realisation for stolen goods." 

"I am glad to report that the Minster has taken my suggestions on board namely imposing (1) a minimum number of retention days for goods (2) the introduction of standardised mandatory questions in order to establish the legal ownership of the goods and (3) retention of the ID & contact details of the seller."

The Minster has also confirmed to MEP Higgins that he is working in conjunction with An Garda Síochána and has established a metal theft forum involving stakeholders affected by metal theft such as: the IFA, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, the ESB, telecoms, transport companies, brewing concerns and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

"A Metal Theft Crime Prevention and Reduction Plan is also being developed in discussion with the metal theft forum, I have been assured that the Plan will be published in the near future."

"I eagerly await the roll out of the new measures & I look forward to the removal of 'Cash for Gold' shops from our vocabulary."

ENDS

Contact:

Aoife Kearney +32 22 837843