Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody on the call. The session has been very useful and informative. If you excuse the pun, a punter may be looking at this today with a family member who has a gambling problem and would like to take something from the presentation about there being safeguards in place to identify the problem before it gets out of hand. It may be difficult in one sense. Some may say the gambling industry is a legitimate business and there to make money. That is quite understandable, and if people are not making money, they will not be in that business. There is legislation in place in the UK but do we have data on what effect it has had on gambling, particularly problem gambling? Is there any information in that regard? Is there anything we have not put into this legislation yet that the witnesses feel should be there to provide further safeguards?

Ms Byrne represents what are traditional bookies, with 750 members of the 800 retail betting shops. I might go to a local betting shop and have a clear problem. Mr. Grant and others spoke about accounts being closed, but what number of accounts are being closed in provincial towns? If I am in a local bookmaker office in Ballydehob, what number from the members of Ms Byrne's organisation would cease my account or bar me from the premises?