Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The very fact that Senator Reilly's amendment has been ruled out of order highlights what I am going to talk about on the next section. This money does not go to good causes at all; it goes to the Exchequer for Government decision as to how it is spent. The fact we cannot put down an amendment to direct that it goes to a good cause because it would be a charge on the Exchequer proves the point that I have been making time and again in this debate, namely, no good causes are actually ring-fenced. It is all to do with a decision of the Government as to how it spends money out of the Exchequer, because the money that is supposedly for good causes goes from the lottery to the Exchequer and will continue to go the same route. This is specifically provided for in section 44, which refers to moneys being paid into the Central Fund and the Government then making a decision. Therefore, Senator Reilly cannot table her amendment. It gives the lie to the whole notion of good causes, because if the money was ring-fenced for good causes the Opposition could certainly table an amendment. I have tried to highlight this issue time and again but it never seems to get traction.