Consultation on ‘cash for gold’ pointless, says TD

A consultation process on the regulation of the “cash for gold” trade in a bid to clamp down on thefts of jewellery and precious metals has been announced by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

But the initiative has been deemed “pointless” by the Independent TD Mattie McGrath, who said two bills he published on the issue — in 2012 and 2014 — were rejected by the Government.

Mr McGrath said he had been “constantly assured” by successive ministers of justice that plans to deal with cash for gold shops were “imminent”.