Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas don Aire Stáit as ucht teacht go dtí an Seanad. Fianna Fáil will support the Bill but believes far more is needed to address the problem of gambling. Two issues concern me. The first is why this Bill is taking priority over the gambling control Bill. There was much reference in the speech of the Minister of State to that Bill, yet we are not discussing it in this House today. The argument has been put forward that it needs more work to progress it, but if we were serious about tackling gambling in this country we would not be discussing this Bill, we would be discussing the gambling control Bill. I am disappointed that Bill is not before us today.

I am concerned that gambling in this country will go underground and will not be regulated at all if institutions such as card clubs are closed down. I do not agree with any form of gambling but it would be a dangerous development if such activities were moved underground.

The measures within the Bill primarily concern updating and modernising the regulation of gaming and lotteries, including the updating of stake and prize limits. The Bill also proposes to standardise the minimum age for participation in gaming and lottery activities at 18 years of age. In the gambling control Bill, it would be important to have some sort of centralised system and I urge the Minister of State to consider that.It could monitor cases where, for example, a person tells a bookie not to accept a bet from him or her for more than a certain amount.

I welcome the fact that gaming and lottery activities will be curtailed to those who are 18 years of age and over. While these changes are necessary, our time would be better spent debating the gambling control Bill today. Plans for gambling regulation stretch back to December 2010 when Fianna Fáil, when in government, published an options paper. These plans were developed into draft legislation in 2013. No legislative progress has been made since then. We acknowledge the Government has agreed in principle with the introduction of a gambling regulator and the publication of the report of the working group. However, progress to date has been slow.

Fianna Fáil has initiated its own gambling control Bill and put forward detailed proposals for such a regulator. In the absence of a firm timeline for the introduction of such a regulator by the Minister, Fianna Fáil will table amendments for the introduction of a regulator. Fianna Fáil will also put forward amendments to address issues concerning unregulated offshore operators and the national lottery. Fianna Fáil is committed to socially responsible gambling. The Government has had ample opportunity to consider these issues and Fianna Fáil is looking for action on them.