Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming into the Chamber this afternoon. I also am in agreement with Senator Craughwell's amendment. To clarify, Members today are referring to amendments to online betting. All Members present share the frustration because ever since they came into this House, they have been waiting for this legislation. I acknowledge that technical EU matters have delayed the officials. Everyone shares the frustrations. I understand that €5 billion has been bet online and given the current state of the Exchequer and how many citizens find it hard to make ends meet, it is a shame that this tax is not being collected. The sooner this legislation can be passed the better. However, is there any way in which the Minister of State can speed up the projected timeframe of the end of the year for the gambling control Bill? I have also spoken to the Leader on the subject and I ask because Members are referring to the issue of online betting.

Yesterday was designated Internet safety day and I was smiling to myself because last year in this House, somebody gave me a tip for Cheltenham and I joined Betfair. That company texts me continually. It does not know who I am or what age I am as it did not ask me. Moreover, in response to Senator Barrett's suggestion, it did not ask me how much I earned. I get texts suggesting a refund for Mary Ann and how, were I to place exchange football bets, I would get a 50% refund. Last week, the company sent me an exclusive offer for Mary Ann O'Brien, in which I could make the most of my weekend with a 100% refund on my exchange sports bets and so on. I reiterate that yesterday marked Internet safety day. All Members have children or grandchildren at home, all of whom have access to the Internet through smartphones. There is nothing to stop them from taking a credit card from their father or mother or whatever and signing up. The question is how to protect these young people in the future.

This is in parallel with how there is a great deal of support in this House for rural Ireland, as well as a great deal of angst about it. In this context, we punch way above our weight globally in the horseracing industry and if one considers the likes of Coolmore Stud, we are the best in class. There are very few sports or industries in which we can say Ireland is top of the class in the world in terms of both breeding and prize-money. For example, Aidan O'Brien commands records that never will be bettered by any other racehorse trainers in the world. Moreover, I refer to all the people in Ireland to whom these people give employment and to the tourism it brings in. Unfortunately, however, to revert to the points made by Senator Craughwell, this is married to this serious situation that has been encountered by all Members. I have met such a person for whom the lives of the entire family are in tatters. The family home was going because the dad has had a serious problem that was secret for a long time. It is now out in the open, the family is in shame and they are completely without the means to go forward. This is what can happen. Again, it would have been wonderful had Members able to debate this in parallel, because I really respect Senator Craughwell's position and the conversation he has instigated. In particular, it is even worse with online betting because it is easier to do it in secret at home than it is to walk into a shop or go to the racecourse.