Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 34:

In page 76, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following:"54. The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on options available for the introduction of a rate of 3 per cent betting duty for online and in shop bets.".

This is an amendment that was tabled on Committee Stage. There are a couple of reasons for it. First, I believe betting duty can be increased in shops and online to a rate of 3%. This is not a very high level. We have discussed taxation and the excise duty of 60% on a bottle of wine. Many Irish people engage in gambling. For some, it involves an annual flutter on the Grand National and for others, unfortunately, it is more addictive and represents a very destructive vice. An issue arises in terms of the help and support society gives to people who are addicted to gambling.

The 1% duty that obtains in betting shops could be increased. I have said many times that when I was a young child, the duty was 10%. At present, it is absorbed by the industry. Online betting is starting to come under the fold of the legislation. It is about time. I have tabled this amendment as a marker to state the Betting (Amendment) Bill, which has not yet proceeded to Second Stage, is supposed to bring in €20 million. This was flagged a couple of years ago. Therefore, we have missed out on revenue of €20 million over a couple of years. I raise this as an example of how the Finance (No. 2) Bill has not examined such areas. We have not made progress on the betting legislation as we come to the end of the year, yet fathers who care for their children will see a reduction of €2,500 through income tax as a result of the Finance Bill. If the betting legislation had been enacted last year, it would have offset the need to penalise single fathers in the way the Government has decided to penalise them. It is penalising them in the order of over €220 per month. It is important to set down this marker.

I acknowledge the words of the Minister on Committee Stage to the effect that we should get the Bill up and running. I am very eager that we do so. When we do so, it will be possible to examine increases in future years. I am not as patient as the Minister regarding the betting industry. Unfortunately, he has not shown the same type of patience concerning the budgetary impact on lower-income groups, the elderly and the sick. Very little patience was shown towards them. Where the betting industry is concerned, however, the attitude is that there is no rush and that the Bill can be talked about for two years before publication. The view is that it does not really have to proceed to Second Stage because there is no major urgency. I am concerned about that, and that is why tabled this amendment.

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