Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is great to have the Minister of State in the Chamber and I compliment him for bringing forward this legislation and staying with it. It is significant. Will the Minister of State give me his view on the timeline for enacting this legislation? We have a political timebomb in many ways and there will be a change at some stage. The Minister of State might give us an indication as to when he thinks the Bill will be passed. Will it be before or after the summer? What amendments does he think he will make? It is very important legislation.

There are issues with lottos in GAA clubs. I am sure the Minister of State will bring forward appropriate amendments that will be suitable. I have no doubt that they will be appropriate.

Last Thursday week I had the opportunity to go to a seminar on gambling hosted by Tracton GAA club. It was run by Tabor Lodge in my parish. It was one of the most frightening nights of my life. It went through the statistics on alcohol, drugs and gambling addiction. It also addressed gaming which, in its opinion, is a potential gateway to gambling. As a father of two young lads who are nine years of age and who are very keen on their computer games it frightened me as a parent. Will the Minister of State give me his view on this issue and whether there is a need for us to do something with regard to gaming as a gateway to getting involved in gambling?

The news this morning included a story that a significant betting operation - I will not name the company - saw its first quarter profits increase by 46%. This gives us the indication of the epidemic we are dealing with at present. If the profits of an online gambling company for the first quarter have increased by this margin then we have a significant issue to deal with. I would use the word "epidemic". This is why the legislation, which is decades in the making, is so important. This is why I absolutely fully support the Minister of State, and whatever amendments he brings forward I will fully support. His heart is in the right place on this.

How we deal with this is the biggest issue we have as parents and as a society. I want to ask about the phone. How do we deal with the big issue of how gambling is now a constant threat on the phone? I got the Luas back to the train station last Wednesday week and a young lad was on his phone. Before we got to the station he had lost €40 gambling on the phone. It was a frightening experience to watch. Maybe I am a country bumpkin but it was absolutely bizarre. How will we engage with this type of gambling whereby someone can lose €40 when travelling between Heuston Station and Connolly Station? This is what we are dealing with. This is no longer about people going to a bookie and doing what they do. It will take a great change. I believe the word to use is "epidemic". The statistics we received that night from Tabor Lodge have frightened me.

There will have to be a special awareness of what the phone has brought to the industry and how access has absolutely killed it. The access is the ultimate thing. Because of the access we have, unfortunately people can potentially gamble 24-hours a day with multiple credit cards and multiple accounts. It is bizarre to say the very least. Organisations such as Tabor Lodge, and even GAA clubs such as Tracton GAA club which supported Tabor Lodge in putting on the talk, need to be supported also. Without a shadow of a doubt many of the parents who sat around that room were in shock at the end of it. This is where we need to go. Parents were left with a completely different view of what is happening with their kids and how they could potentially be involved and be affected by this. We got testimony of how lives are being ruined by this issue.

This is the most courageous piece of legislation I have seen in an awfully long time. The Minister of State has my full support. I am looking forward to seeing the legislation passed. When does the Minister of State think the President will sign it?