Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter of interpretation. I believe Ms Boate should have got external advice on the legal point we discussed earlier. I believe that interpretation is wrong. Ms Boate has player protection person in her office, but from the perspective of the State on behalf of the citizen, it appears from Ms Boate's answer that what we are concerned about is the operator, the regulator and that the communications by the operator would be further triggering. At no point does it appear there was a calculation about how the people felt and whether there was any other person who could have contacted them, apologised to them and delivered a measure of respect to them on behalf of the lottery system generally to say we are terribly sorry for this egregious breach and understand people are in a difficult situation. There were multiple other routes to reach those people and it appears the concern was within the licence, very narrow and with the relationship with the operator. I suggest there is a much broader perspective that is important and could have been considered in that as well.

I also find it problematic that there could be 48 breaches, that is, breaches in respect of 48 players, and that no action could have been taken in respect of the operator. I find that difficult.