I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 46 and 72 together.
The Minister for Finance has overall responsibility for the holding of the national lottery. However, as the National Lottery Act, 1986, specifies, it is for the Government to decide how moneys are to be allocated. Once the Government has decided on the allocation of funds on a departmental and programme basis it is then a matter of the spending Minister concerned to decide on the criteria for the disbursement of those funds. In regard to the distribution of funds to particular groups as requested by Deputy Harney, that matter should be addressed to the Ministers concerned.
The Minister for Finance has had direct responsibility for the allocation of national lottery funds to Gaeleagras na Seirbhís Phoiblí. The aim of Gaeleagras is to provide Irish language training for civil servants to enable them to deal with the public through the medium of Irish. Gaeleagras caters for the disabled and does not practice discrimination against women, travellers or the disabled.
On the question of ensuring that national lottery, and indeed public funds generally, are not used to support groups or organisations which practice unfair discrimination it is, in the first instance, a matter for each Minister to decide on criteria for the disbursal of their Department's funds. I would share the Deputies' concern that funds be granted to organisations which do not practice discrimination. It is fair to say that the Government is aware of the importance of combating discrimination, as can be seen by the appointment of a full Cabinet Minister with specific responsibilities in this area.