Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State back to the Chamber to discuss this very important issue.I pay tribute to the Minister of State and his officials for the significant amount of work they have invested in this legislation, which is fairly comprehensive and detailed. I commend him on tackling this very important issue. Our legislation needs updating. It is very much behind the curve with regard to gambling and the curse of gambling.

We must take a step back and reflect on those who suffer from addiction in this area. I have met them. The wreckage it brings into their lives and the lives of their families and those closest to them is truly shocking. The State has a responsibility to act in this regard. I commend those who were addicted and have come forward to tell their stories publicly on their courage in laying out to everyone the implications and harm of excessive gambling for individuals, their families and those closest to them. I commend those who work in this area to help those with addiction. They are performing a great service. There is a social impact fund. Regarding the disbursement of money from this area, I would like specific attention to be paid to education and greater emphasis on the harm gambling can cause through schools and voluntary organisations such as Cluain Mhuire that assist people in these difficult situations. These organisations are struggling for funding. The social impact fund has the potential to bring much-needed resources to those organisations to help them to carry on the good work they are doing.

I know some concerns have been raised about the impact this might have on sporting organisations such as GAA, soccer, athletics or rugby clubs or other sporting bodies, voluntary bodies and church collections. The Minister of State has gone to extreme lengths to reassure people that this is certainly not the intention of the Bill. I know from my conversations with him that he intends to bring forward amendments that will address the concerns that many people have raised regarding the impact this might have on those bodies and the good work they do from a fund-raising perspective, much of which would not survive without this avenue. It is important that we reassure those individuals, many of whom have contacted all of us in this Chamber to voice their concerns that this Bill will have serious implications. I would like to repeat the message the Minister of State gave to me, which is that by the time this legislation goes through both Houses, those sporting bodies will have nothing to fear. The Minister of State helped to make that very clear. I have no doubt that he will use the platform he has in this House this afternoon to again reassure those sporting bodies that this is certainly not the intent of this legislation. That will become clear by the time this legislation goes through this House and goes back to the Lower House with the amendments passed in this House. I have no doubt Members will bring forward amendments and I know my concerns are shared by many Members of the House. I have no doubt that the Minister of State will reflect on them and as he already stated, he will reassure those individuals that they have nothing to fear from this Bill.

Some Members have stated their concerns while others have highlighted gambling and what it can do to individuals and their families. I will not rehash or repeat that. Despite the negativity portrayed by some individuals, particularly those from the Lower House, and the argument that this was going to be a sledgehammer to crack a nut, I am comforted that it is not.It certainly is not and I am reassured by that. I am looking forward to this legislation, with the appropriate amendments, travelling through this House and indeed through the Lower House and to whenever it becomes the law of the land. I commend the Minister of State again on his excellent work in this particular area. Go raibh maith aige.