asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that a bingo session is being promoted in Sligo in conjunction with the Sligo Festival; that it has already been advertised; that tickets have been printed; that many of them have been sold; and that the organising committee have already spent about £300 on printing, advertising and the hire of a marquee; and if in the circumstances and in view of the expenses already incurred he will allow this session to take place on 13th June as advertised.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sligo Bingo Session.
46.
It is not intended to interfere with arrangements of this kind for the time being.
I should like to explain that, in the public statement I made on Friday, 28th May, I mentioned that, to give promoters of bingo a reasonable chance to comply with the law, no action would be taken against those operating bona fide for a charitable or philanthropic purpose if they applied for a licence by 31st July or, in cases where there is no local sitting of the District Court in the second half of July, at the first sitting after 31st July.
I said, however, that, with the exception of this week, there could be no advertising on press or radio and that the prize limit of £500 per week would have to be observed.
It has since been represented to me from several sources that hardship would be caused by a termination of arrangements for which commitments have already been entered into.
Consequently, I think it would be reasonable to allow people to bring their arrangements into line and, accordingly, no action will be taken either as regards advertising or as regards prize limits up to 20th June.
It may happen that a relaxation of enforcement until 20th June will bring no benefit to some promoters as they may have planned only a single bingo session—for one night only—and fixed it for a date after 20th June. In such a case, the Garda will not intervene when satisfied that the arrangements for a prize fund exceeding £500 have already been made and commitments entered into before 1st June.