Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Finance if he proposes a new policy direction in respect of the allocation of national lottery funding in 2009 in view of the economic circumstances. [7627/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Under Section 5 of the National Lottery Act, 1986, the surplus from the National Lottery may be used for: Sport and other recreation; national culture (including the Irish language); arts (within the meaning of the Arts Act, 1951); health of the community; and for such other purposes as the Government may determine. The following additional categories have been so determined: youth, welfare, national heritage, and amenities. Under the legislation, the allocation of funding among the categories is a matter for the Government. There is no specific formula for the allocation of funding among categories. The Government decides on an annual basis how the surplus from the National Lottery is to be allocated in the context of the overall Estimates process.