Representatives of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, attended yesterday's meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to outline the plight of people in rural areas in the face of increasing rural crime levels. Scrap and precious metal thieves are roaming the countryside taking lead from people's homes and sheds. The scope of this scourge is widespread. A large number of such thefts go unreported, fuelled by a no-questions-asked industry.

Does the Deputy have a question on legislation?

Will the Tánaiste indicate when we will have legislation on the sale of scrap metal?

The Labour Party will be scrapped first.

Deputy Bannon has raised this issue with me before and I wrote to him on the matter as recently as 28 October. I understand how stressed people are, particularly when there is theft of livestock, materials and machinery from farm premises. The presentation by the IFA was very impressive, particularly the focus on finding ways of identifying and labelling machinery. As was stated at the committee meeting, we must remember that as well as the people doing the robbing and causing stress directly, there are other people helping to sell on the stolen goods and livestock. In regard to legislation, the situation remains the same as I set out to the Deputy on 28 October.