Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have rehearsed on many occasions that I can remember going into the bookies with my father when the betting duty was 20%. It was then reduced to 10%, 5%, 2% and 1%. We have to weigh up if there is a better way to ensure we get the same amount of tax, if not more, without an impact on jobs and especially in rural communities. There is a proposal before us that has merit. There was not universal support for it. There is now universal support within the industry.

Given those facts, we need to not proceed with this measure now. On that basis, I will be pushing my amendment. While I understand the difficulties in terms of confidence and supply, jobs will be lost in rural communities, so I appeal to everybody in the House to support this amendment, thereby ensuring this increase does not take place. Instead, we can ensure an efficient levy is imposed on the industry so that it pays the same amount of tax, if not more, and we protect jobs and services in rural communities.

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