Seanad Report: A Fine Gael member apologised to the House for being unable to attend a sitting last week because his jacket had been stolen.
The Oireachtas dress code requires male senators to wear jackets in the chamber.
Mr James Bannon told the House that he had been the victim of a crime recently. His jacket had been stolen and he had been unable to attend the Seanad.
Making an impassioned appeal for greater Government action to combat crime, he claimed that 3,000 people were the victims of attacks in their homes or properties or through the action of vandals every day.
Dublin was one of the most crime-ridden capitals in Europe, and this was happening during the tenure of office of a Dublin-based Minister for Justice.
Where were the 2,000 extra gardaí that had been promised? They had also been told that CCTV cameras would be installed at all street corners and at traffic lights. But nothing had been delivered. There had been a lot of "thunder talk" from the Minister, but no action.
There should be a serious debate in the House before the summer recess to deal with the crime situation in the country, Mr Bannon added.
There was laughter when Mr Paul Bradford (FG) said that perhaps they should ask the Minister for Justice to redouble the efforts to find his party colleague's jacket.
The leader of the House, Mrs Mary O'Rourke, said that she sympathised with Mr Bannon over the theft of his jacket. "But I do advise you to bring a second one when you come to Dublin. I am not being smart. It does help to have a change."
Mrs O'Rourke said she understood that the Minister for Justice was moving very strongly with regard to the matter of the additional gardaí.
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The Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges is expected to consider complaints about electronic voting in the House. Following problems over the taking of a vote on whether the National Monuments Bill should pass Second Stage, Mr Brian Hayes, (Fine Gael leader in the House) said that this was a serious matter for a house of parliament. There was no confidence in the system because of the continuous problems that members had experienced on all sides. A meeting of the committee should be convened to deal with the matter.