Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I announced on 4 April 2012 that the Government has decided to hold a competition for the next national lottery licence and that the licence will be for a 20-year period. Since April, my Department has carried out a considerable amount of preparatory work for the competition. It will be necessary to revise the National Lottery Act 1986. The Government has approved the general scheme of the national lottery Bill 2012, which has been sent to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government. It is my intention to seek Government approval for the Bill in the current Dáil session and, subject to approval, the Bill will be published shortly afterwards. In tandem with the publication of the Bill, I will set out a scheduled timeline regarding the competitive process for the next national lottery licence.

I have previously indicated that a portion of the upfront payment will be used to help fund the national children’s hospital. While it is likely that some expenditure relating to the hospital project will be incurred in 2013, the greater part of the expenditure on that project will be incurred in subsequent years. Given the complexity of the process regarding the competition for the next licence, my Department engaged external advisers, as planned, to assist it in the process. Following a tendering process carried out by my Department, Davy Corporate Finance was awarded the contract. Davy Corporate Finance will be paid a fee based on the achievement of a number of key objectives during the process. I will set out the full fee cost once the process is completed.

In establishing the parameters for a competition for the next licence, it will be a priority to ensure that the conditions for maintaining and even for increasing annual funding for good causes are put in place.

See this speech in context