Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

They may be watching on Netflix a horse race in Kentucky, a place they have never been and never will be, and betting the kitchen sink on one of two old, worn-out horses. That is the concern we should have, not with the respectable bookmaker shops and the people we have all supported. When you go to the Killarney or Tralee races - I never had the honour of going to the Galway races - or Listowel racetrack, which is great, you see respectable and normal betting. We see the way bookies treat their customers. They want to take care of their customers because they have a reputation to keep. Last night, I spoke about a good friend of mine, Timmy O'Leary from Kenmare, County Kerry. He was our local bookie. He made sure that people bet what they could bet, and did not bet what they should not bet. When we see the trouble caused in family homes through people spending money they cannot afford to lose or endanger, that is wrong.

There are certain aspects of this Bill we will come to in a while under other sections. However, on this issue, on which I again acknowledge the work done by Deputy Gould, we should be doing more. We should be tougher and stricter on the use of credit cards and phones. There is nothing in the world wrong with what I call normal betting, the person who goes in to bet a tenner, a fiver, €20 or €50 if they can and supports the local bookie shops. There is nothing in the world wrong with a family, an individual or a couple going to the races and supporting the local racetrack. It is a source of great enjoyment to me to support the greyhound industry in County Kerry, and we have an excellent track in Tralee. I enjoy going there on a Friday or Saturday night, meeting friends and having a little bet. There is nothing in the world wrong with that. It is what I call dangerous betting that we should have concerns over, and that is what I am worried about. I believe we are not going far enough in that regard.

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