Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 5, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:
" "central gaming system" comprises the secure core computer systems of hardware and software that validate and record all entries for National Lottery games and identify winning combinations;".

The central gaming system is crucial to the operation of a national lottery. It is considered appropriate to include a definition of the central gaming system in section 2. The central gaming system is also referred to in amendment No. 36, which is the reason for the grouping of these amendments.

The National Lottery Act 1986 does not preclude retail agents from purchasing a national lottery ticket. The purpose of amendment No. 34 is to make clear that the word "agent" does not include retail agent for the purposes of this section and, thereby, to leave the position of retail agents unchanged as regards their entitlements to purchase tickets and participate in the national lottery.

Amendment No. 35 substitutes the word "manufactures" for the word "prints" on the advice of the Parliamentary Draftsman that the word "manufactures" is a better phrase and is considered more accurate in this context. Amendment No. 36 is technical in nature and deals with the classes of persons who may not own a national lottery ticket. This amendment also includes a reference to the central gaming system.