Cathal Crowe
Question:469. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice the reason there is a 60-day waiting period when renewing a lottery licence for community organisations, sports clubs and charities. [57160/21]
View answerTuesday, 23 November 2021
Questions (469, 470, 471)
Cathal Crowe
Question:470. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice if organisations will be losing out in 60 days trading due to the waiting period for renewing their lottery licence. [57161/21]
View answerCathal Crowe
Question:471. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Justice the way in which the new rule in relation to a lottery licence was communicated to organisations. [57162/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 469, 470 and 471 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is not in a position to interpret the law as passed by the Oireachtas.
The Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019 commenced on 1 December 2020, with all sections coming into effect. The 2019 Act modernises the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 and helps the better promotion of local gaming and lottery activity.
As well as the many representations received from a range of stakeholders prior to enactment, the Bill was fully debated in the Oireachtas prior to its enactment in December 2019.
My Department placed advertisements in 35 regional papers, including the Clare Champion, and information notes and a detailed Press Release were published on my Department’s website.
The process whereby a charitable or philanthropic organisation can apply to the District Court for a lottery licence is set out in the new Section 28 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956, as inserted by the Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019.
Applications for lottery licences should be made to the District Court of the district in which it is proposed to promote the lottery, authorising the person to conduct periodical lotteries in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The application should be made not less than 60 days before the first day on which it is intended to promote the lottery. This period was intended to ensure that the court is provided with sufficient notice and full details of the proposed lottery activity so as to determine the application. Revised conditions for the promotion of lotteries are now contained in Section 28 of the 2019 Act.
Question No. 470 answered with Question No. 469.
Question No. 471 answered with Question No. 469.