Jim O'Keeffe
Question:105 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Finance the percentage of the national lottery surplus available for youth and sport; and his views on whether the percentage should be increased. [11428/99]
Written Answers. - National Lottery Funding.
National lottery funded expenditure is divided into the following categories; Arts, Culture and National Heritage; The Irish Language; Youth, Sport, Recreation and Amenities; Health and Welfare.
The percentage of national lottery funded expenditure which was spent on youth, sport, recreation and amenities in 1998 was almost 36 per cent. The allocation for 1999 is almost 37 per cent and represents the highest percentage allocated to this particular beneficiary category since 1991.
There is no fixed percentage applying to any of the categories in any given year. Allocations are made on an annual basis in conjunction with the spending Departments' Estimates for that year. The areas of youth and sport have benefited greatly from allocations of lottery money and I do not envisage any change to the methods used in its distribution.