Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of prize bonds currently in circulation; if the results of the draws are published annually; the administration costs incurred in the running of the draws annually; the body which administers the draws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17047/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently almost 83.5 million prize bonds outstanding, worth approximately €526 million. Prize bonds are operated by the Prize Bond Company Limited, a joint venture between An Post and Fexco, under a ten-year contract with the National Treasury Management Agency, NTMA, from 1 November 1999. The Prize Bond Company Limited holds the prize bond draw at 12.30 p.m. every Friday in the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin. The draws are open to the public. The results are presented live on the website of the Prize Bond Company, www.prizebonds.ie, and are available weekly on 3Text, TV3's text service, on page 699. All winners are written to by the Prize Bond Company at the last address notified to the company.

A list of each week's top prize-winning numbers is available in all main Post Offices, and the draw results for the previous seven months are available on the Prize Bond Company's website. The number and value of prizes awarded each year are included in the annual report of the Prize Bond Company.

Prizes in respect of more than 7,000 prize bonds amounting to more than €1 million in value remain unclaimed. A list of these prize bonds is available on the Prize Bond Company's website. A booklet listing unclaimed prize bonds is published from time to time and is available in post offices nationwide.

The total fee paid by the NTMA to the Prize Bond Company for the administration of the prize bond scheme in 2004 was €6.9 million, of which approximately €350,000 relates specifically to the running of the draw.

The prize bond draw is fully computerised, and the draw software has been verified by independent statistical consultants. The consultants also analyse the results of every draw to check for randomness and their reports are submitted to, and evaluated by, the NTMA on a regular basis. In addition, a representative of the NTMA attends every draw so as to ensure strict adherence to the operational procedures set down for the conduct of the draw.