Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It is extremely disappointing that the amendments have been brought in on Report Stage that were not part of the Bill or the process before. They were not sought during pre-legislative scrutiny by any of the organisations or groups consulted. There were a lot of different requests, very legitimate ones, to improve and strengthen the Bill. Many have not been accepted, unfortunately. I put down amendments that would have strengthened our democracy yet somehow, at the very end of the process, these amendments were tabled to introduce a new form of fundraising for political parties without any proper prior debate or scrutiny.

The Minister of State said that this would not introduce a new form of fundraising for political parties. However, he then said that it would allow political parties to apply for a licence to operate a weekly lottery. I am not aware of any political parties that are operating a weekly lottery or which have ever done fundraising of that nature at a national level. These amendments will specifically allow for this new form of fundraising by political parties. Will the Minister of State clarify why he and the Minister both feel that this is not a new form of fundraising yet the Minister of State has given further explanation and detail which very much suggests that it is? I am not aware of any parties doing it and there is no legal basis for it.

I also seek clarity on the definition of lotteries as there are contradictions in what the Minister of State said. He said that a definition of the lottery includes draws, raffles and so on. He also gave a very specific definition of the lottery which is that it relates to any guessing of a future event where the outcome is not known. A draw or raffle, if it is not around guessing numbers of predicting outcomes at sporting events or other unknowns in the future, does not fit that definition. In the briefing provided earlier in the week no clarity was provided on that point. Will the Minister of State give clarity on that? How is a draw or raffle that is not about predicting a future event, in terms of numbers etc., in the definition? Is it considered to be in the definition on the basis that one does not know who will be pulled from the draw? Is that the future event? Is that what he is relying on? Why does he take the view that this is not a new form of fundraising for political parties? Will he explain this in detail and give some examples of legislation up tp now that has allowed political parties to run lotteries? Will he give some examples where political parties are specifically mentioned?

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