Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry, Senator Ó Murchú. The national lottery is one of the institutions that features in the hearts and minds of the ordinary, decent, hard-working people of this country. I for one believe it is regrettable that we are selling the national lottery licence. I would much prefer the national lottery to remain in its current structure, perhaps with some tweaking. I have listened to the arguments and I support the proposed funding of the children’s hospital. If a structured arrangement is reached with one of those awful private companies for which I have absolutely no time – I have a passionate dislike for any company involved in gambling because of the way they destroy lives – and we could get a children’s hospital built from the proceeds of the sale of the licence, unpalatable and all as it is, then we must consider it. The health of our children is extremely important. I would much prefer to see a situation where all the funding raised from the national lottery for the next five years would be channelled exclusively to the children’s hospital. By doing that we could raise funding internationally to build it quickly. I accept the Minister has far better advisers in that regard than me. I do not doubt his sincerity in this matter, as in some of the enormously difficult and challenging decisions he is making. However, I am particularly concerned about the institution of the lottery. I meet old people who play a €4 quick-pick every week, some of whom have used the same numbers since the lotto was created in March 1988. Some people have used birthday numbers between one and 36 in every single draw since then.