Thomas Gould
Ceist:343. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the funding in Budget 2023 for gambling addiction harm reduction, prevention and treatment. [48954/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 5 October 2022
Ceisteanna (343)
Freagraí scríofa
In Budget 2023, I secured an additional €10.5m for the national drugs strategy and inclusion health. This includes €0.5m to introduce a pilot treatment programme for gambling addiction. A factsheet on Budget 2023 is attached.
This initiative is aligned with the Government’s commitment to establishing a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being. Minister of State, James Browne, T.D., has been leading the progression the Gambling Regulation Bill to establish the regulator, and the recent appointment of a CEO designate is an important development. The Bill will establish a social fund to finance research and information, to support public education and awareness raising measures in relation to problem gambling and to appropriately support problem gambling treatment.
I believe that gambling should be treated as a public health concern and that measures are required to mitigate the negative social impact of gambling. The allocation of dedicated funding for gambling addiction is the first step in a coordinated public health contribution to the regulation of gambling.