Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Broadening the tax base is one matter but ensuring the hole is plugged because of a reduction in the receipts from excise duty on off-course betting is quite another. Does the Minister agree with the Taoiseach's comments in a speech, which, I understand, he gave at a dinner hosted by The Irish Field at the Irish Farm Centre on 13 May, where he suggested that "All forms of betting including betting offered over the Internet, other remote platforms or over the telephone should make a contribution". Why should they make a contribution exclusively to greyhounds and to the racing industry? Why should they not be making a contribution towards other sports in the country as well?

Has the Minister departed from his statement to the select committee on 10 December 2008 when he said "in the absence of a prohibition on such activity [that is, Internet betting] it is impossible to tax it because the server can be located in any part of the world". Has he changed his position from his statement in 2008?

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