Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Today, I would like to talk about gambling. It is estimated that we lose over €2 billion to gambling every year in this country but it is impossible to know how much we as a nation are losing. Many of us gamble and do not even know that we are doing it. Many events are tied into gambling and instant betting is acceptable on phones and laptops. There is no longer the stigma of being seen leaving the local gambling spot to stop people from being sucked in. Estimates are that a third of those gambling losses are from people with severe gambling problems, with 40,000 admitted gambling addicts who each lose approximately €18,000 annually. How many people truly know that they are addicted?

A year ago, the book entitled "Tony 10", written by the former An Post manager, Tony O'Reilly, revealed the horrendous consequences of gambling addiction. It did an incredible amount to raise awareness, which I always talk about. It is close to criminal that the Gambling Control Bill, first introduced by my party, Fianna Fáil, is still not enacted after six years. It is astonishing how easy it is to become addicted and those involved are often unaware of what is happening. We need more stories such as Tony's. He comes from Carlow which is why I know his story has changed lives. I have seen it with my own eyes in my home county.

We cannot leave the shadows that surround addiction unlit. We have to shine a light for people to see what is happening to them, their loved ones and their lives. Counselling and rehabilitation services provide care to those presenting with a gambling addiction but they have to present first. We need to raise awareness of what gambling is, what it does when it goes too far and what it has done to people's lives in this country. It starts here. I know that the Minister was in two weeks ago but when will the final report from the interdepartmental working group on gambling come back to the Seanad? This has been going on for too long. This gambling issue needs to be sorted and the Oireachtas owes it to the people of Ireland to pass this Bill.