Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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That is like the Minister for Justice telling us that he has no responsibility for the healthcare of prisoners in the prison system. That is just a nonsense argument. The Minister of State is operating within a Government system where there should be co-operation around all the issues. He is responsible for the regulation and licensing of gambling. While we have had no legislative activity in this space, I have raised the issue with the Department of Health and the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. There has been absolutely zero progress in policy or funding to help people with gambling addiction. It is not good enough to silo the Department of Justice and Equality away from any responsibility there. The lack of regulation and the lack of a social fund is one of the reasons we do not have funding for addiction. There should be impetus coming from the Minister of State to ensure that Deputy Byrne takes this seriously and funds addiction services. At the moment there is a two-tier approach, as with a lot of other things in healthcare. If someone has money he or she can access private addiction services, but someone who needs State support is left vulnerable. He or she has no ability to get treatment and the gambling companies target people. While the legislation is delayed, there is no excuse for the lack of Government funding for people suffering from problem gambling and addiction. It is not good enough for Departments to operate in different silos. Members of the Government have collective responsibility.

I want to ask about the open and illegal gaming going on within Dublin city and other places. Is the Minister of State concerned that Part III of the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 is being blatantly flouted? In this city and elsewhere there are open illegal operations to which our own statutory authorities turn a blind eye. Does the Minister of State have any thoughts on that?