Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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I have looked at the letter again and propose that we write to the regulator which comes within the remit of the committee, while the operator does not. The letter from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform reads:

Expired unclaimed prizes are transferred on a regular basis from the Prizes Bank Account to Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC General Bank Account where they are used for the purposes set out in Clause 6.9.2 of the Licence [agreement]. When expired unclaimed prizes are transferred from the Prizes Bank Account to Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC General Bank Account, there is a corresponding journal to release the transfer amount from the Prize Liability balance. The amount of that journal is then accounted for in accordance with the use to which it is put under Clause 6.9.2 of the [agreement]... as a special, additional or top-up prize, as an offset against the costs of incremental marketing or in accordance with [the] basis approved by the Regulator.

We will write to the regulator to ask what mechanisms are in place to implement clause 6.9.2 of the licence agreement and what is covered in the letter. That is our line. It is incumbent on the regulator to be on top of this issue as part of the agreement. As the regulator comes within our remit, we will send a letter straightaway to ask for the full procedures as to how he ensures full compliance with the licence agreement as mentioned in the letter. It is like pulling teeth, but we are not finished yet. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien can come back to the issue. I expect to receive a response from the regulator.

The next item is No. 1404B from Ms Oonagh McPhillips, acting Secretary General in the Department of Justice and Equality, in response to a request for information on the restructuring of the Department. The information will feed into our third periodic report. We will note and publish the correspondence.

The following three items are from the Health Service Executive-----