Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I utterly oppose this Bill and the mood that lies behind it. It is wrong to sell State assets in general. Why would we give away an asset, particularly at a time when the State and the economy are in such difficulties? The national lottery has generated enormous revenues for the State over many years and it has supported a wide range of good causes. I see no justification for changing something that has worked so well. The only justification the Government has provided, aside from the real motive of further the asset stripping of this country under the austerity programme, is that the money we get upfront might allow us to fund the new children's hospital. I do not accept that argument for one minute. Just over one year's average revenue from the lottery would pay for the hospital. Clearly we would not take an entire year's revenue but €50 million per year could easily be earmarked from the money allocated to good causes under the current model. Spread over five years, that would cover the cost of the new hospital. There is no need to do what the Minister proposes in order to finance the children's hospital from lottery money.

It is in effect a giveaway that will change the entire dynamic. Camelot or whichever entity buys it will not be interested unless it can benefit from the transaction. In moving from a set fee structure to a profit line for an entity such as Camelot, the citizens and people who buy lottery tickets and the good causes they finance will be the losers. An Post will also be a loser.