Results 13,781-13,800 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath
- Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (8 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: I wish to raise with the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, the question of child and adolescent mental health services. I realise there is a serious issue nationally. I am raising the question especially in the context of Cork city and county, where several vacancies have arisen in critical staff positions. This is now having a direct impact on the waiting lists and the ability of...
- Other Questions: Mental Health Services Staff (8 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: I respect what the Minister of State has said. I have no doubt the HSE is trying to recruit consultants not only for Cork but throughout the country. However, it is not working, unfortunately. I do not have the answer for the Minister of State in respect of how to solve this. The HSE is going to have to prioritise this issue. This is having a serious impact on the people who need to...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: I welcome Ms Buckley. I wish to pick up on some of Senator Horkan's questions. I ask Ms Buckley to clarify which retailers are represented by RGDATA. How many retailers does it represent and are they of a mixed size?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Ms Buckley said the commission earned by retailers is 6%. Does 6% of the sale price of every scratch card sold go directly to the retailer?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: The 6% commission also applies to sale of lotto tickets at terminals. Who is responsible for the maintenance of machines?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: It owns the machines.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Is the commission arrangement different for euromillions?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: There is a 6% margin for euromillions.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: I refer to the online presence of the lottery. It is a whole new world to me. I visited the website and alternative games popped up such as mini keno and instant lotto. Some 19 of the 21 games on the website are also sold as scratch cards in shops.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: There are 19 different scratch cards under the national lottery.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: The days of winning streak are long gone.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: From the data provided by the regulator, I note 5% of the turnover in 2016 came from online sales. I imagine that is a target for significant growth, given that such a model cuts out retailers. Ticket sales for 2016 were €750 million, up from €670 million in 2015. The figure for draw-based games was €530 million, while scratch cards and online instant win games...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: I doubt it is. Ms Buckley raised concerns about online gambling and a lack of controls. Gambling control legislation has still not been enacted. Is that an area that can be abused? Online gambling is available from all of the main bookies, a sector which is currently not controlled. What I was trying to highlight is that somebody today could go on. There is a national lottery in the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Who is running those?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Am I right in saying that the only places online that one can play the actual national lottery games are the websites of those national lotteries, for example, www.lottery.ie?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Are customers who buy cards regularly in the shops savvy as to the distinction between the 19 different cards? Are they looking for something in particular? What is the marketing idea behind having 19 different scratch cards? Do most of RGDATA's member shops sell all of them or just the most popular ones?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Yes.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: It is a really serious product differentiation. They have diversified to such an extent now that I am flicking through all of the games and do not recognise the vast majority. Presumably, there is a market for each one.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Is there a case for putting a limit on the number of games? If a company wants to introduce a new game, it could then take one of the existing games out of commission. All one is doing by introducing more and more games is seeking to penetrate the market even further and get more people introduced to gambling on a regular basis. That is the net effect of all this. It is a commercial...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Overview of Operations of the National Lottery: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)
Michael McGrath: Is it still difficult for a shop to get a lotto terminal?