Results 2,261-2,280 of 4,717 for speaker:Neale Richmond
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Why not?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Surely advertising spend is beyond commercially sensitive. If there is a rollover draw that is not being won and a campaign of understandable public concern that it is not being won, and there has clearly been a significant increase in the level of advertising, Mr. Algeo should be able to furnish those details to an Oireachtas committee. If he is not prepared to do so at this stage or does...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Okay. Mr. Algeo would have to admit there has been a significant volume of advertising, regardless of the amount that has been spent, since November.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: It varies, but it is clear to me that this draw was not being won, focus was rightly brought to it by a Member of the Oireachtas and the amount of advertising increased. I wish to return to an element of the replies Mr. Algeo provided to Deputy Durkan. He stated there has not been an actual decline in sales but there has been a short-term decline in sales. I ask him to provide a little...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Yes, but I am more interested in the short-term decline.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: As Mr. Algeo stated, compared with PLI, but also just in terms of sales for the past six months and how they have compared.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: It is a little concerning because, obviously, there is public money involved and this has become a significant focus of attention and now we are having one of these must-be-won draws. Does Mr. Algeo envisage this being required again in future? Is it his intention to let it go for 50 rollovers or 51 rollovers or, as Deputy Farrell suggested, to perhaps look at European or UK models?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: I thank the regulator for her opening statement and replies to Deputy Durkan. I will pick up on her initial replies to him. She said, in line with what the previous witness said, that PLI had mentioned in early November the prospect of a must-win draw, which it subsequently requested on 7 December, eight days or - correct me if I am wrong - two draws ago. Had it ever mentioned it before then?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: In the very recent history of PLI being the operator, has there even a discussion of a must-be-won draw? Is this something that has been invented to address a growing concern highlighted, as I mentioned, by Deputy Durkan, or is this common practice in other games across the world? Would this be happening if very serious attention was not being given to it, by this committee and others?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: The regulator oversees the Irish lottery but we can compare it to the UK, European and a dozen different American models. Quite simply, is a must-win draw a regular occurrence or common practice in this type of gaming?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: That has never happened in Ireland before.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Did Premier Lotteries Ireland ever discuss increases in the number of balls or the general issue of rollovers before?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: These are not commercial plans but contingency plans. What I am referring to is a matter of public interest.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Yes, there is currently a rollover but, as Ms Boate mentioned, there was a rollover in Italy for more than a year. When considering the risks involved in a game in this nature, I would hope that someone regularly thinks about these matters and discusses them with the regulator.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: By their nature, games of chance all bear a high degree of unusualness. Moving on, when was the independent observer appointed?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: Going back to previous contracts, has there ever been any other independent observer?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: From my childhood recollection, it seems to have always been KPMG. Indeed, I always remember the very pleasant gentleman who used to nod at the start of the draw. When we talk about the independent observer, which is consistently the same company, I wonder what the application or tender process for that very important role is.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: How much is the contract worth?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Issues Related to the National Lottery: Discussion (15 Dec 2021)
Neale Richmond: I will hand over to Deputy Mairéad Farrell. I thank the regulator very much.