Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I welcome my good friend and colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, to the House, of which he is a former Member. I am delighted he is back here in his ministerial capacity at the Department of Health. I was happy to have heard in recent days the good tidings that a gambling regulation Bill and the establishment of a gambling regulator may be imminent. I have advocated very strongly, with others, for such measures for a long time. It is good news and it will deal with an important facet of the gambling problem in Ireland.

I want to address a distinct part of that problem today, namely, the situation of those who suffer from a gambling addiction and those who engage in problem gambling. The two groups are very closely related. First, I would like to hear from the Minister of State that he accepts that addiction to gambling is an illness and, as such, is a matter for, and the clear responsibility of, the Department of Health.The Department of Justice has responsibility for the gambling Bill and the gambling regulator, but addiction to gambling is a distinct Department of Health issue and I would like the Minister of State to accept that. What specific services are available from the Department of Health and the HSE for persons with addiction to gambling, including counselling, residential care or care wherever is required? What services are ring-fenced for gambling addiction? How many people were treated in the past year for an addiction to gambling by the health services? Critically, what are the future plans in this sphere? I know the Minister of State is ambitious to achieve in the Department. What does he see the Department doing in the future to expand and develop services?

Addiction to gambling has to be dealt with as a separate and tragic reality and something outside of all law and regulation and everything else one deals with to prevent it in the future or minimise it. The condition has to be dealt with separately. We have to have evidence that the Department of Health and the HSE recognise that and that there are specific services, as we know there are for other similar difficulties, which are all functioning. Not only that, money must be ring-fenced specifically for addiction to gambling and a strategy must be put in place to dealt with this in the future. It is no different from any other addiction. It is an illness and has to be defined and treated as such. Every estimate from various sources of the number with the problem in Ireland is not less than 30,000. It is a sad and living reality all around us. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and welcome the opportunity to update the House on the support and services provided to persons who experience gambling addiction. I am aware problem gambling affects a significant number of individuals and the Senator is correct in that research conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Department of Justice estimates approximately 1% of the population is affected by problem gambling. I would have thought it would have been a little higher.

The Department has overall responsibility for gambling regulation and it published the interdepartmental working group report on future licensing and regulation of gambling in 2019. The report addresses the social impact of gambling, including the issue of problem gambling and it notes the social and health impacts of gambling. I acknowledge problem gambling can lead to social breakdown with devastating financial losses and alienation of family and friends. Problem gambling can be associated with a range of harms, including higher risk of psychiatric disorders; alcohol and drug misuse; physical and mental health issues; separation and divorce; and unemployment and insolvency. The interdepartmental working group recommended funding be made available for research, training and community interventions into treatment of problem gambling and gambling addiction, public education and awareness-raising programmes and the production of relevant information materials be supported and assistance be given in the provision of additional services to treat gambling addiction. To meet these objectives, the group recommended a social fund, managed by the gambling regulatory authority, should be established. I fully support this recommendation.

Significant work is being undertaken in the Department of Justice to progress the general scheme for the gambling regulation Bill. This will include the establishment of a social impact fund that will support funding services to treat gambling addiction. The Government approved the general scheme this week and it will be published shortly. The Department of Health does not have a remit for problem gambling. It does not provide funding to support organisations that deal with gambling addiction or problem gamblers. The Department is responsible for providing services for people affected by drug and alcohol addiction. HSE and section-39-funded addiction services have, in some case of gambling addiction, provided treatment within existing resources. Interventions currently provided to those presenting with gambling addiction include one-to-one counselling, financial advice and onward referral to other services. However, for the Department and the HSE to provide specific services or centres for gambling addiction without additional funding would result in significant capacity issues and the lengthening of waiting lists for drug and alcohol addiction.

The Senator asked how many people were treated last year. I do not have the figure but I will try to get it for him. I agree that gambling addiction is a serious issue. I go into bookmakers and online gambling and many times, one has to self-regulate. There are so many angles there with gambling available online, including on one's mobile phone. It is an issue to which we need to wake up and address. I thank him for raising this important issue.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I agree with his assessment of the problem and all its human repercussions. My basic point, which I would like the Minister of State to bring back to the Minister for consideration, is the Department of Health should accept addiction to gambling is an issue for it and there should be ring-fenced money and delineated services, as for other illnesses. I appeal to the Minister of State to look at that. I appreciate his response and acceptance of the great problem and the need to deal with it. I know well that is where he is on the issue, but I appeal to him to look at it as a specific issue for the Department of Health, rather than for the Department of Justice, and to look at ring-fenced funding, direct services and support for charities. We are on the one page. It is a question of approach and resources and such. I hope this debate will advance the issue and further progress will result.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I again thank the Senator for raising the issues of gambling addiction and problem gambling. There is, without doubt, an issue with problem gambling in Ireland. Many actions can be taken by gambling companies to minimise problem gambling, including restrictions on advertising, the ending of free bet promotions and limits on how much people can bet through online accounts. However, there are people who will still develop problem gambling habits. That is why we need a social fund on the gambling industry to provide supports and counselling for those affected. The Department of Health is willing to play its role in providing additional services for those affected by gambling addiction and it is my view that the resources for these services should come from the gambling industry. I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue, of which I have anecdotal evidence throughout the country from young men and women and many others. It is much easier to gamble, especially online. It is an issue we certainly need to address.