Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Jun 1996

Vol. 467 No. 1

Written Answers. - UK National Lottery.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

250 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Justice the action, if any, she proposes to take to prevent United Kingdom national lottery tickets being sold in Ireland in view of research that indicates £20 million will be taken out of the Irish economy this year as a result of such sales. [12778/96]

Liam Lawlor

Ceist:

254 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Justice whether the Government's action against the sale of the United Kingdom lottery tickets is vindicated either in effect or by court decision; and the plans, if any, he has to remove the cap on the prize funds for Rehab and other charitable organisations. [12505/96]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 254 together.

The law in relation to the sale of lottery tickets (other than tickets for the national lottery) in this jurisdiction is contained in the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1956. Section 21 of that Act sets out the law in relation to the prohibition of lotteries. It is a matter for the Garda Síochána to enforce the law as it stands. I understand that the gardaí are at present seeking the necessary evidence to submit a number of cases relating to the sale of UK lottery tickets to the Director of Public Prosecutions for decision as to prosecution.

In relation to the position of charitable lotteries generally, there is a commitment in the Government policy agreement to reform the law relating to administration and regulation of charities along the lines of the report of the Committee on Fund raising Activities for Charitable and Other Purposes.

The Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Burton, held a successful conference with a number of charities and other parties in this regard last June. Work on the preparation of the necessary legislation is proceeding in my Department and it is intended that proposals will be brought before Government as quickly as possible. To this end an advisory group comprising representatives of a number of organisations working in this area has been established in the context of the finalisation of legislative proposals.

I might mention that the issue of removing the cap on prize funds is the subject of a Private Members' Bill which is due to be debated in the House this evening and the Government's position will be made clear during that debate.