Vol. 399 No. 11
73 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health the current position in relation to former workers of the Irish Sweepstakes Ltd.; if any compensation exceeding normal statutory redundancy payments will be paid; and whether any payments will be made to the workers from moneys received from the sale of the Sweepstakes' properties in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
As the Deputy is aware the Government have decided that unclaimed prize money, together with accrued interest, arising from the operation of the hospitals sweepstakes should be used for the benefit of former employees of Hospitals Trust (1940) Ltd. The necessary amending legislation will be brought before the Oireachtas in the very near future.
The Ballsbridge property was owned by the Hospitals Trust Board and it would not be open to the board to divert any proceeds from the sale of this property to benefit former employees of Hospitals Trust (1940) Ltd.
Responsibility for the making of any payments to their former employees rests solely with Hospitals Trust (1940) Ltd. Consequently it would not be possible to provide Exchequer funds to cover payments exceeding normal statutory redundancy payments.
