Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I fully understand that the Minister cannot put a figure on what might come through. As a result, the Minister probably cannot indicate what proportion of what might come through will be put into it. However, will he indicate to us on Report Stage and state definitively that a fund will be opened for receipt of an amount? We realise no amount can be specified nor can exact dates at this stage. It is immaterial whether it is by the NTMA or held by the national lottery regulator.

I am not saying the Minister wants to do that but I am trying to give him alternatives. He could tell the public as part of the discussion on Committee Stage that a fund will be open. Another possibility arises from the Minister's mention of the troika's being in town next month. After each visit a revised memorandum of understanding is issued with a few small changes that have been agreed. There could be a sentence in that about the national lottery licence to which the Government has signed up and the troika, being the IMF, the EU and the ECB, could note the Government's decision that a portion of these proceeds will be in a designated account for the future construction of the national children's hospital. I know that the Minister cannot specify the figure, the amount or percentage but such a sentence would be good for the Minister.

It is not my job to help the Minister but it would be good for him to come out of that discussion with that paragraph in the revised memorandum of understanding next month. I would take some credit for making the suggestion. He needs to do something like that because good intentions are only that and there mechanisms that the Minister could easily use to deal with this issue, along the lines of my suggestion. I am not asking in my amendment that he specify amounts, percentages, dates or anything like that. I am asking only that he tell us how the amount, whatever it is, will be ring-fenced. I do not understand his reluctance to ring-fence his own commitment with some mechanism.