Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Can I just say this to the regulator because it has come up on a number of occasions here this morning, where I have heard this discussion going backwards and forwards. I understand that the role of the regulator is to ensure that the lottery operates as per the terms of the licence and within the law. I understand and get that. A regulator cannot be a bystander when major issues are arising, such as some of the ones discussed this morning. Where the regulator’s office does not pick up the phone in respect of some of the earlier matters, there is a lack of communication directly with the Department on them. The Department is present here before the committee this morning in the person of Mr. Dermot Nolan. There would also appear to be a lack of communication with the operator. I find it strange because the operator can be contacted with the use of persuasive powers, to adopt the term used earlier on by Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to at least flag this up as a credibility issue. Large credibility issues have been highlighted here and this is one of the major ones. This is the fact that the prize-money has been rolled over. Mr. O’Donoghue from the regulator's office has confirmed that this has occurred 60 times. I lost count at 51.

My point is that surely the regulator’s has some role in at least discussing these things with a view to perhaps putting limit in place, changing the licence in the future, or is there a need to change this in legislation? I find that odd.