Dáil debates

Wednesday, 4 December 2019

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages

 

6:35 pm

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

All I am saying is the people I met were the salt of the earth. They want to continue playing bingo and they have grave concerns about that. This has still not been put right tonight because there is still worry and concern out there and there are messages coming through that there is no clarity about the funds that will be made available and if they will be under threat. Another thing has transpired here tonight. Every one of us, as elected Members, give 100% support to the small bingo operators that are raising funds for this club or that club or perhaps a person with a medical problem, for example, might have a bingo event organised for them or a bingo event might be organised to keep a local club going, be it a sports club or a community centre. We should also remember there is nothing wrong with monster bingos. In the Irish National Event Centre, INEC, in the Gleneagle Hotel complex in County Kerry, for instance, a monster bingo event was held four or five weeks ago.

I played bingo there that day and was delighted to be there. Perhaps 2,500 to 3,000 people were playing bingo and the place was at capacity. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon and the people thronged. They came from everywhere to Kerry to play bingo that day. On the other side of the border, in County Cork, there are monster bingo events. Does the Minister of State know about the bingo week held in Limerick? Points made during the debate have given the impression we should be against monster bingo events. There is nothing wrong with people who organise a monster bingo event. People attend such events and play bingo just for one day or for a week, where they play bingo during the day and into the night. They have a good, sociable time and if they want to take a break from a few games, they go outside and have a bit of time to themselves. They stay in hotels and have a great time. There is nothing in the world wrong with that.

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