Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Minister of State's response and will withdraw the recommendation. I reserve the right to resubmit it but I doubt I will do so. I take what the Minister said at face value and I urge him to keep it under review because it is important that there be no unintended consequences to the measure. I have no difficulty with the bookmaking sector, and the gambling industry generally, contributing more taxes but this measure has the capacity to turn smaller shops into loss-making enterprises on account of the fact that the tax is not being applied to the consumer but to the shop itself. If the shops close, employment, rates, rent and so on will be lost.