Is the Taoiseach aware of the great deal of unrest among the public about the way the proceeds of the national lottery are being handled? As far as I am concerned — many people hold the same view — this is the greatest con trick of all time.

I must point out to the Deputy that the question is specific in respect of the application of arts and culture and I will not allow a widening of the scope of it now.

Is the Taoiseach not aware that the last Government made a decision as to where the allocation in relation to arts, culture, sport and so on should go?

The arts and culture are the subject matter of the question and I will not allow a widening of the scope of it.

Some people who are contributing to the national lottery are questioning the way the proceeds are being distributed because the proceeds were to go to sport, arts and culture and the promotion of the Irish language. Those people now find that the Government are using the lottery as another means of collecting revenue for the State. The House is entitled to ask the Taoiseach why there is such a long delay and why there has been a change of policy on an issue which was non-political.

The Deputy is embarking upon a speech. I am calling the next question because the Deputy is quite out of order.

I should like to make a point in reply to the Deputy. When the Government of which the Deputy was a member left office the official position, and their approach, was that £7 million was what could be expected from the lottery. That was the amount they proposed to distribute. In fact, that £7 million has been distributed.

That is not correct. The percentages I am talking about are 55 per cent for sport and so on. That was clearly decided.

I must move on to the next question.