Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is linked only in the sense the regulator is a controller who might ultimately be able to regulate what is uncontrolled now. To answer the Deputy's question directly, from a personal point of view - this is not in my area of responsibility as it will be under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality - it is not that I want to grow gambling but that I want it regulated. Much of what is going on now is not regulated. Perhaps Deputy Boyd Barrett is more techy than I am but I do not know whether one can control such matters, as gambling platforms can be centred in Thailand or somewhere else, but we need to see if we can because I am concerned about it.

There are two things I want to say in conclusion. I do not want to be puritan about it. Paddy Power is a very big employer in this town. Horse racing is a big industry and people gamble on it. Cheltenham is an important part of Irish culture, not to mention all the Irish racecourses which many of us have visited over time.

Deputy Fleming has made an important point about premises and I have asked my officials to take note of it. We have done an inventory of premises and, quite frankly, the Deputy is dead right. An awful lot of long-term leases were taken by people, especially in the decentralisation period that went on in the previous Administration. There was an expectation that a great number of people would go to a location but it did not happen, so one is stuck with a big premises on a long-term lease and somebody is making a stack of money on it. That is not going to happen here, however.

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