Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It has varied year on year. The most recent figures I have looked at were for 2011, and at that stage it was 30.05% in that year. The Bill has a number of purposes, in particular: to continue to provide a legislative framework for the operation of a national lottery; to continue to safeguard the integrity of the national lottery, for example through the continued safeguarding of cash generated by lottery sales; and to provide for a new national lottery regulator, a new innovation to deal with the point which Senators raised, the issue of unregulated gambling. We will have a lotto regulator - I have had discussions with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter - which in time will become the gambling regulator, so that we will have control in so far as we can over gambling. So many online gambling operations are based in Singapore, Hong Cong or other place as that is the nature of new technology. Most of those who contributed in the Lower House welcomed that innovation. The office of the regulator shall be funded by the national lottery operator and will be independent of the Minister.

Let me set out certain principles regarding the regulation of the national lottery, for example the circumstances in which a licence may be amended or revoked. If the body who is awarded the licence does not meet the conditions and the standards we expect, we can revoke the licence. The standards will limit the quantum of money we will get for it because we want to have a very tight ship. I note that the original motion, before the amendment was tabled welcomed the appointment of a national lottery regulator. The National Lottery Bill 2012 passed Second Stage in the Dáil last week and the Committee Stage debate is awaited.

The competition for the next licence will be undertaken by my Department. I have approved and published on my Department's website a protocol which sets out the procedures to be followed regarding contact with potential bidders.

That is the reason I interrupted Senator O'Donnell. I have met no potential bidders.