asked the Minister for Justice if he will amend the legislation governing the running of the Irish Hospital Sweepstakes to provide for greater public accountability and financial disclosure.

: I have no such proposals under consideration at present.

: Might I remind the Minister that this question was asked first and answered on 2 May 1978? Am I to take it from the reply today that there has not been any action either by the Minister for Justice or by his Department in relation to doing anything about the sweepstakes in the past two years?

: An inter-departmental committee are at present examining not only the future prospects of Hospitals Trust but the position of lotteries generally. Consideration of any amending legislation should be on the basis of the findings of that committee.

: When will that be?

: The Minister's reply is likely to be news to many people but can he say whether the inter-departmental committee will be considering in particular the fact that under section 2 of the Public Hospitals Act, the promoters are allowed to make substantial payments to themselves and to other parties for which they do not have to account and that under section 6 of the same Act such payments could be as great as 20 per cent of the gross receipts? Will the Minister ask the inter-departmental committee specifically to take these factors into consideration in their examination of the question?

: I will bear in mind what the Deputy has said.

: Question No. 7.

: A brief supplementary—

: I am sorry but I have called the next question.

: May we have an undertaking from the Government that they will act with a sense of urgency in regard to this report?

: Question No. 7 has been called.

7.