Fairness of lottery-funded sports facilities
After the Chair limited the discussion to one question, Skelly asked whether lottery-funded facilities would be financed by poorer people for the benefit of the advantaged. Barrett hoped participation would be voluntary and that facilities would serve the whole community regardless of financial standing.
Is the Minister of State aware that the funding for the National Lottery in the main will come out of the pockets of the poor? Is he happy that the advantaged will be supported in these new facilities by money from the disadvantaged? Would he look at that before he makes any decision?
Comment on this
(Dún Laoghaire): I hope there will be no compulsion on anyone to take part in the National Lottery and that those who want to take part will recognise that the proceeds will be used for the benefit of the whole community. I would not like to think that whatever facilities will be provided from the proceeds of the National Lottery will be used solely for the purposes of one small section of our community. I sincerely hope that all of the facilities will be made available to all of the people irrespective of where they come from, or their financial standing. I recognise the tremendous advantage to the country of our having a proper sport and physical recreation policy. The benefits to be gained by having such a policy will be savings in terms of health bills, prison places and crime and vandalism. I assure Deputy Skelly that any moneys which will be used from the National Lottery will be used for the benefit of all the Irish people and not just for one small section.