Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 April 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion

1:30 pm

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ms Boate is governed by the rules that govern her office but there is something seriously wrong. I contend very strongly that the balance has been all wrong here since a private company came over and took over the contract. It is paying for it but it is also making huge profits as a result. There is a figure that screams out to me. When the State handed over to PLI in 2014 there were 3,700 retail agents in the State. In the three years and a bit between 2014 and now, 2,019 new retail agents are selling the national lottery. It is out of control. It is a runaway train. If we continue with this trend between now and the expiry of its contract, there will be about 16,000 retail agents. It is not only retail agents because one cannot go into a post office now without being hit by all of the promotional material. There is absolutely no restriction on the number of outlets where it can target individuals to play its games.

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