Results 8,261-8,280 of 26,724 for speaker:John McGuinness
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Let us use the figures that we have seen reported in the media. They suggest that for each year there are unclaimed prizes amounting to approximately €15 million. Over the 20 years of the licence, that would give the company operating the licence now a considerable advantage.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: It is in terms of the money going directly to its marketing budget.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Who decides on the percentage going to each share?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Is it contained rigidly in the licence that a given percentage of unclaimed prizes-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: The wording relating to that is "shall" and "may". There is nothing definite in the licence conditions that tells the operator how much must be used for top-up prizes, incremental marketing or good causes. For example, if €15 million in prizes is unclaimed in one year, the operator can split that amount in any way it wishes, weight it towards marketing and the regulator can do...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: If the figures for the old lottery operator are applied to the current licence, it is possible for the operator to tilt the balance in favour of its own marketing and allocate very little for top-up prizes and good causes. This means the operator is just tipping its hat at the legislation and nothing can be done because of the words "shall" and "may" and the lack of a definite role for the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: I understand that but what I have to get at here on behalf of the taxpayer who has an interest in this is the deal that was done for the sale of the licence that resulted in one sentence alone giving the operator discretion over the distribution of €15 million per year.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: It is based on figures from the old lottery operator.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: The previous lottery operator said that approximately 2% of the general figure related to unclaimed prizes. If that is used as a guideline, the amount works out at €15 million. The licence was sold for €405 million and over the next 20 years, the company is in a position to have discretion over the disbursement of €15 million annually, which amounts to €300...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Yes, "shall", "may" and similar wording.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: If I was running the national lottery, I would have a good argument with Mr. Donohoe about "shall" or "may" if he decided to poke around in my figures. That is not his fault----- The Chairman is correct in that we have no role in the proportion that goes into, say, three buckets with one being for prizes, one for the promotion of the national lottery and one for what is left over for good...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: I am trying to establish if the quality, or otherwise, of the agreement that was entered into. It seems from some media reports there is a basis for doubt around how that contract was constructed and put in place but I am not asking the regulator to comment on this. Deputy Pearse Doherty mentioned earlier whether the other bidder in this case knew all of this. I am only posing that as a...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Who deems it to be commercially sensitive? Is it Ms Boate or a company telling her that it is commercially sensitive?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: That Act refers to the what is in the public interest.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Given the public interest and the media attention around this in terms of the lottery, how it is operated, the old licence versus the current one, all that detail and following on from that the activities of the new company, the prizes, the unclaimed prizes and whatever else, and given that information is available without it being supported or challenged, surely, in the public interest, if...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Who is responsible for the freedom of information requests within the national lottery?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Has the witness ever had freedom of information requests?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: Were they in the context of what we have been talking about?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: I go back to the public interest element of the freedom of information request.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (24 Apr 2018)
John McGuinness: I believe it is "of public interest" and "in the public interest" that this matter needs to laid to rest in terms of the general picture that could be painted through the office of the witness, through freedom of information. That is the point I am trying to address here.