Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps we should have allowed Deputy Chambers to keep talking and asking questions because he knows more about the issue than the do the rest of us. Fair play to him for the work he has done on the issue. In reply to Deputy Chambers, the Minister of State stated that he is not legally responsible for the flagrant ignoring of the law by gaming operations in places such as Westmoreland Street and O'Connell Street. I do not understand that. These places have completely ignored the fact that these practices are illegal under the 1956 Act. The Garda has turned a blind eye to them for years. It was my understanding that the Garda falls under the remit of the Minister of State. I understand that the Revenue Commissioners do not, but they are probably doing more about the issue than is the Garda, which seems to have turned a blind eye to it.

The Licenced Gaming Association of Ireland, which represents licensed operators, including those in Courtown in my area, estimate the loss to the Exchequer of tens of millions of euro per year. Why does that not register with the Minister of State? In February of last year, I asked the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, about the enforcement role of the Garda in regard to unlicensed gaming activities and the availability of gaming machines in locations in which gaming is prohibited. He told me that he would request a report on the matter from Garda authorities. That report was not produced. I asked him twice more about it. In January of this year, in response to my final parliamentary question on the matter, the Minister completely ignored the fact that a report on the role of the Garda in this matter had been promised. I presume we will never see that report. It is mad that the Minister for Justice would need to ask the Garda for a report on its enforcement role when that role and the powers of the Garda are fairly obvious under the 1956 Act. Why has the Garda ignored or not carried out its enforcement role in terms of seizing gaming machines which are prohibited under Part III of the 1956 Act? How can the Minister of State be sure that the Garda will enforce the provisions of the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill?