Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
1005. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to the recent cuts to the charitable lotteries fund which has put immense pressure on the services provided by the Asthma Society of Ireland, if he will consider reversing these cuts; if he will meet with a delegation from the Association of Charity Lotteries in Ireland regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37002/13]
View answerThe Charitable Lotteries Fund was established in 1997 to provide assistance to the promoters of certain private charitable lotteries that have products similar to products sold by the National Lottery. The Fund was originally drawn from the National Lottery surplus but, as with other National Lottery funded subheads, it is now drawn also from exchequer funds. The decision was taken in 2012, because of the urgent need to make savings in Government expenditure, that this Scheme could not be sustained in the current circumstances. Beneficiaries were advised in October 2012 that it would be phased out on a gradual basis over a 3 year period, with the first reduction taking effect in late 2013. This is in order to give affected organisations, including the Asthma Society of Ireland, as much time as possible to adjust to the change and to consider how they may increase the funding they receive through other fundraising projects. As the decision to phase out the Scheme is currently the subject of a legal proceedings initiated by The Rehab Group and Rehab Lotteries, I am not in a position to meet organisations or comment further at this time.
