Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have instructed all senior officials in my Department on the clear channel, so that all issues relating to the awarding of this contract will be handled with absolute probity. There should be no doubt whatsoever about it. It is envisaged that the competition will commence during the second quarter of 2013. My Department is being assisted in the financial and commercial aspects of the process by Davy Corporate Finance.

Let me repeat, I do not have any discretion regarding whether to hold a competition for the next national lottery licence. This is a point which I would like to emphasise strongly. A number of commentators appear to be under the impression that I as Minister have the option to award the next licence to whomsoever I wish. This is simply not the case.

The motion tabled before the House "calls on the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to ... ensure that the ownership of the National Lottery Licence remains entirely within the State". Under European Union law, it is open to any European to bid for it and, consequently, it is not only unlawful but would be unethical for me to fix the result, which, were I to confine it, is what would be implied. All those colourful people about whom the Senator spoke, good people from either the United Kingdom or Italy, are entitled to bid, as we are entitled under the Single Market to bid for licence arrangements. This is encompassed under the Single Market provisions and the Government must be open to deal with it in that context. To be blunt, when going through a process to comply with European competition law, it is quite astonishing for a House of Parliament to suggest one should fix the result.