Ms Angela Kerins:

Deputy Finian McGrath's question was about the impact and Mr. Flannery mentioned the loss of the €6 million compensation fund. We have an independent and professional evaluation which shows that we have the ability to earn between €35 million and €50 million a year. This is what is affected by the cap on charity lotteries because we do not have an opportunity to develop our business in the way we would like. The Government's decision to discontinue the compensation fund is a really big issue. Organisations such as ours, the Irish Cancer Society, the Hanly Centre, the Asthma Society of Ireland and Irish Autism Action all depended and trusted that a fund would remain in place if a cap remained in place. The fund has now been pulled and we have no way of earning our own income to support public services. Therefore, there is a real and urgent need to deal with the issue this year. I hope removing the cap will also give us an opportunity to earn money.