Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That has been the priority for the past two years. The Betting (Amendment) Bill was published in July. This has been signalled. The 2% increase was included in the Finance Act 2010, but a decision was then taken not to proceed with it. The Minister of State is 100% right, in that online exchanges should have been subject to this excise tax. Additional questions arise. I have met some of the exchanges. They have provided a service but are exempt from VAT. They have had it very sweet for a long time. Thankfully, they will enter the tax net after this Bill passes through the Houses.

However, a level playing field is not the issue. We must increase tax revenue. While I welcome the Minister of State's comments on achieving a level playing field and then considering increasing the rate, my amendment would only require that a report on the options be made. It is not simply a case of increasing the rate to 2% in respect of bookies and wondering what to do with the exchanges. Currently, the rate is 15% compared with 1%. What would be the effect of a 2% increase? What would be the impact in terms of jobs, etc? We must tease out all of these factors. The Government may provide figures to this committee next year and there may be an increase, but we should flag it now. The industry has not been taxed appropriately when taxes on nearly all other sectors have increased. If one gambles, a 2% or 3% tax on the bet is not onerous.

The Minister of State and I are in the same area. I am probably more committed, in that I would like to see a 3% rate and a report on what its implications would be and what the corresponding rate in respect of betting exchanges would be.