Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I understand the views and the passion with which they are held. I have explained the genesis of this. It is no knee-jerk reaction. We have thought it out very carefully from the time it was first explored. In the preparation for the capital programme we examined how we can provide the capital infrastructure we need. I have just come from a meeting earlier today with the European Investment Bank to get more capital because we have a big deficit regarding schools, the new Grangegorman campus, some transport projects and primary health care centres. There is so much we need to do and so little capital. We need to do these for a range of reasons. Not only do we need schools for children, we need to have jobs for the people building them.

One of the big capital projects we wanted to do in the health area, as I explained, was to build the national children's hospital. As there was so much to do in health, we determined to keep the level of capital available under the capital programme in the health area unchanged at a very high level, while everybody else was squeezed, particularly transport. Even within that high level there was no scope for the children's hospital, and I did not want to abandon it. I thought about getting an upfront payment, as other countries have done. This is not unique and the Senator knows that. We can have a very well-regulated, well-run lotto that meets the needs of the State and people or groups who want a flutter or a gamble on a weekly basis, and keeps the excitement and fun element in the national lottery.

We will obviously migrate to different platforms including online because that is the way we will do more and more of our business anyway, and it would be a Luddite approach to think that we cannot do that for the next 20 years. By the end of that time we will all be doing all our business online. At the same time we can get the capital this year, now, to be certain we can build the national children's hospital. Other ideas have been proffered about dedicated games, etc., but I can do this with certainty. It is the right thing to do and I recommend it to the House. As I said, it is no knee-jerk reaction. It is a very considered opinion. We have looked at what happens elsewhere in the world. This is a Bill that has taken very careful crafting. We have had expert advice externally as well as internally. Notwithstanding the sincere and genuine views expressed, I recommend we do this.