Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

To continue with my point, this is an abuse of very substantial public funds. Nothing is easier in this House than to oppose legislation brought forward by the Government. I have seen polls and heard people's views. I understand that some polling was done in my area — though I am not quite convinced of that — to show that politicians are very badly regarded. I ask the Minister to consider this matter again between now and Committee Stage. It is difficult for all of us to be objective but what is proposed will do substantial damage to the body politic. If there were a system in the Bill which would allow for these funds to be allocated in a fair, non-partisan manner, I would be the first to support it and to encourage the disbursement of the money for projects as quickly as possible. That is not what we have in front of us. Instead we have a brazen, barefaced attempt to turn around a publicly-owned fund targeted at proper and desirable objectives. It is difficult to understand why the Government does not concede what is happening. It might be much better if it admitted what it was doing, saying that the Opposition would do the same if in power, though that is no argument. As I said, ultimately, I have no reason to believe that if this legislation were there for the next administration or the one after, it would be used in the same extremely partisan manner. Our duty extends beyond the next general election and the interest of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in buying it. We are talking about legislation that will remain on the Statute Book in perpetuity. No one is clamouring to have the legislation regarding the national lottery changed in any way. Once such measures pass into law, it is extremely difficult, bearing in mind the culture of this House, to introduce changes. We must, therefore, get it right this time. We owe it to the young people of this country.

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