Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 November 2011
99 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to hold an open contest for the national lottery licence in advance of the expiry of the current arrangement with An Post at the end of 2011. [35368/11]
View answer100 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide all details relating to the proposal to obtain an upfront payment as a condition of the issuance of the next national lottery licence, including written communications of all consultation between departmental officials and external advisers or consultants or personnel of, or agents on behalf of, the current licenceholder. [35369/11]
View answer101 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to permit the next licenceholder of the national lottery to offer a daily draw game as a component of the game offering. [35370/11]
View answer102 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to permit the next holder of the national lottery licence to offer lottery or bingo style games played at modern casinos and offered as a game by some State lotteries. [35371/11]
View answer103 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the legislative instrument he intends to use to ring-fence the upfront payment from the issuance of the national lottery licence to provide for the State’s contribution to the construction of the national children’s hospital. [35390/11]
View answer104 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual increase in the national lottery returns he is forecasting as a result of the proposed changes to the National Lottery licence scheme. [35391/11]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 99 to 104, inclusive, together.
The existing licence to operate the National Lottery is due to expire shortly and my Department has been actively examining how best to maximise the return on the next licence for the benefit of the people. As an interim arrangement, the Government has decided to extend the current licence to mid-2013 in order to allow time for the holding of a competition for the award of a new licence. It has been the considered approach for some time that a competitive and transparent process is the best approach underpinning the issuance of a new licence and the precise arrangements for the competition are currently under consideration.
The expiry of the present licence to operate the National Lottery presents an opportunity for the State to review matters and to make sure that the structure of the new licence responds to our present and future needs. This could be achieved through acquiring a significant upfront fee or payment for the new licence, while retaining a condition for significant annual revenues to continue to be allocated towards good causes. It is the Government's desire to use the upfront payment to help fund the National Children's Hospital.
As I set out in my announcement on 10 November on the publication of the Capital Review, and again in this House yesterday in the Statements and debate on that Capital Programme, I will be bringing worked out proposals to Government in the New Year on how best we can approach this matter.
At present, it is too early in the process to comment in detail on the structure of a new licence arrangement, the legislation needed, the expected future financial performance of the Lottery or the range of games that a future licence holder might offer.
