Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On a yearly basis, we do compliance and we are the subject of twice-yearly checks to ensure that we are compliant with selling to over-18s. I think our policy is to sell to over-21s. We have maximum amounts on the number of tickets we are allowed sell to people. We have referrals, too, if we see that people are purchasing in excess of what we feel might be within their means. That does not happen in a bookmakers. Anybody can go in and purchase anything.

The figure of 30% was mentioned. The national lottery was set up to create funds for good causes in this country. The use of the national lottery numbers by bookmakers does not provide money for good causes. As an agent, and I am not giving away any secrets, my sales of the 5-4-3-2-1 would be less than 1% and 0% some weeks, because everyone is going through the bookmakers. Some 30% of those sales that would go to good causes for which the national lottery was set up are going to the profits of bookmakers instead. We need to get back to that core point. That is why the national lottery was set up.

I welcome the significant funds announced last week. This is the first occasion we have allocated 90% to 100% funding. In previous rounds we would have been down to 40% or 50% towards projects. The national lottery was set up to create a fund for good causes. The use of it by the bookmaking profession is not providing moneys into that fund.I am strongly in favour of this regulation and the change.