Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister of State confirm that the sale of the national lottery for 20 years is required by an EU directive, which is to say we must sell or lease the lottery for an up-front payment for 20 years? I thought it was a Government idea. Obviously, the Government thinks it is a good one. I disagree. The Government will not get the price it wants in July, but that is another day's work. Will the Minister confirm that it is an EU requirement that we open it up to operational competition? I may be wrong, but it is not an EU requirement that we sell the lottery for 20 years for an up-front payment.