Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for allowing the Bill to be recommitted. I respect that he was out of the country and it was difficult to catch up with what was going on when he got back. Clarity on the issue was definitely required because a lot of people were concerned.

Deputy Byrne's comments were not helpful. He talked about lobby groups. We can make up our own minds and do not need any lobby groups to tell us what to do. I will talk on behalf of the constituents of Cork South-West and if he wants to talk on behalf of lobbyists, that is his own business. If he had spoken to his constituents, he would have known how concerned they were about the Bill. Many concerns required clarity.

I respect that. People are talking about prize money being printed on every ticket or for every bingo. Perhaps I stand to be corrected, but I am pretty sure that when there is a pop-up bingo in a local social centre, a game that does not occur on a regular basis and that is based on the local hospital or whatever, it would depend on the number of people there. Many of these groups make no money on the bingo, they basically make money on selling raffle tickets during bingo. That is what keeps the doors open in community halls. In fairness, the Minister of State has clarified quite a lot and I am not taking that away from him. He has always been very fair in clarifying issues.

Perhaps further clarity will be given. I still think, however, that if a large bingo game is being run, perhaps to aid a community voluntary organisation, that the prize money going from 60% to 50% is going to upset many good bingo players. There has also been much talk about addiction. That is a serious problem, regardless of whether it is to addiction to alcohol or gambling. However, we are going strongly down the route of bringing people playing a bit of bingo into that. I am referring to people who play bingo once or twice a week. That is getting mixed up in this conversation.

Concerns have been expressed over the past number of days. The Minister of State has allayed much of that concern. If more clarification is needed, perhaps that can be given. I appreciate that this Bill is being recommitted and that will give us a further opportunity to have a discussion. Our job here is to try to help community and voluntary organisations. I said earlier that many individuals out there cannot take any more paperwork or anything that will cause them to stay at home and not enjoy what they want to enjoy. Bingo has been a great outlet for many people, men and women, down through the years. I thank the Minister of State again for the clarification he has given, but we need further clarity.

See this speech in context