asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the total amount received to date by the Exchequer by way of taxes from the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Taxes from Hospital Sweepstakes.
The total amount received to date in this connection is £4,759,543 stamp duty. The net figure, however, is £4,686,789 if receipts of stamp duty on sweepstakes conducted for the benefit of the Irish Red Cross are excluded.
Will the Minister state if taxation of this nature, which has deprived the associated hospitals of the use of this enormous amount of money, was originally introduced in the first Budget sponsored by the Fianna Fáil Administration, and if he considers such taxation to be sound?
The Deputy has gone wide of the question. That is not the question on the Order Paper.
Am I not in order in asking if he may in future contemplate the remission of this stamp duty, so that it may be diverted to the objects for which the sweepstakes are organised and are being run?
It is certainly not a matter I could consider this year and I do not hold out any hope of doing it in the next few years.
You were going to reduce taxation by £10,000,000.
We have made a good start.
By increasing it.
It is the first time in 16 years that it was brought down.