asked the Minister for Justice if he will state what were his reasons for instructing members of the Gárda Síochána to inform the general secretary of Fine Gael that if a raffle or sweepstakes which that organisation proposed to carry out in connection with the Cambridgeshire, 1935, sweep promoted by Hospitals Trust, was carried out, legal proceedings would be instituted in connection therewith, and whether he is aware that seven raffles similar to the one in question had been carried out previously by that organisation without any interference by the Gárda Síochána and whether he is aware that prior to the date of the information aforesaid heavy expense had been incurred by that organisation in relation to the said proposed raffle.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral—Answers. - Promotion of Lotteries.
I arranged for the broadcast on the 2nd September last of a notice relating to the position of lotteries other than those organised under the Public Charitable Hospitals Act, 1933, and that notice was printed in full in the daily papers of the following day. The notice made it clear that lotteries otherwise than in aid of strictly charitable objects would no longer be tolerated. Accordingly, the organisers of a sweepstake in aid of Fine Gael were informed that if the lottery in question was not forthwith abandoned the necessary steps would be taken to deal with it by way of legal proceedings.
As regards previous lotteries promoted by the same organisation, I received a letter from the General Secretary of Fine Gael in which it was stated that seven such lotteries had been held. A reply was sent explaining that it was, in fact, the increasing tendency to disregard the law on the subject which was illustrated by that statement which made it necessary to give public notice, as had been done that it was intended to enforce the law more strictly.
I have no information as to the amount of the expenses which had been incurred in connection with this lottery.
Does not the Minister think that it was most unfair, when the lottery had been started and when similar lotteries had already been carried out, that it should be stopped in the middle?
I am not aware that it was in the middle.
Was not the Minister's Department so informed? Were they not informed that the tickets had been issued before notice was given by the Minister and does not the Minister consider that, in these circumstances, it was most unfair not to allow the lottery to proceed for that occasion?
Is the Minister aware that there is discrimination on the part of the Guards in dealing with this matter and, in view of that, will he furnish a return as to the number of those draws held in various parts of the country which necessitated his operating the Act in this particular way? Will he also issue a return as to the number of persons or bodies on whom the Guards have called to intimate that lotteries which were being carried on by them should be dropped, because there are lotteries being carried on by people on whom the Guards have not called?
I do not know of any and I shall be much obliged if the Deputy will furnish me with information as to persons carrying on lotteries on whom the Guards have not called. There is no discrimination. The Guards have called on the organisers of any lotteries which have come to my notice or to the notice of the Guards.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that a raffle or sweepstakes in connection with the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire Races, 1935, was carried out during the months of September and October, 1935, by the North Monaghan Comhairle Ceanntair of Fianna Fáil; whether any legal proceedings have been already instituted in connection therewith or whether it is proposed to institute such proceedings; and further to ask the Minister if he is aware that two members of Dáil Eireann are alleged to have been connected with the promotion of the said raffle and whether these gentlemen or either of them have been or will be named as defendants in the legal proceedings, if any, that have been, or will be hereinafter instituted in connection with the said raffle.
My attention was recently drawn to a scheme for a distribution of prizes organised by the North Monaghan Comhairle Ceanntair of Fianna Fáil which seemed to contravene the Lotteries Acts and I caused inquiries to be instituted immediately. The inquiries have not yet been completed and I am not at present in a position to make any further statement.
When does the Minister think he will be in a position to have those inquiries completed?
My information at the moment, so far as it goes, is that the Guards called on those people and that the lottery was immediately stopped. I am awaiting a further report on the matter and I may be able to give the Deputy the information next week.
What exactly is forbidden by the Lotteries Act? Does an ordinary drawing of prizes by an institution come under the Act?
I am sure that Deputy Fitzgerald-Kenney will oblige the Deputy by telling him what the 1846 Lotteries Act contains.
I know the contents of the Act and they are very indefinite.
It is an Act which is enforced against Fine Gael and not against Fianna Fáil.
That is not true and the Deputy knows it.
I called on the Guards to get information as to whether certain things were prohibited or not and they did not know.