125 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, he will take to deal with the new practice by young people of driving and committing crimes in phantom cars bought for as little as £30 or £40 from travellers or unscrupulous car dealers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I am very concerned about the recent practice of young people buying old, used cars for very small amounts of money and driving them in a reckless and dangerous manner. Because of the ages of the persons concerned, the cars cannot be taxed or insured. In this regard, I understand from my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, that proposals which will increase the powers of the Garda to deal with this problem, including the power to impound vehicles, will be included in the new Road Traffic Bill. These new powers will significantly strengthen the position of the Garda and allow them to deal more effectively with the problem.