I assume the Minister recalls his party's very strong opposition to this Bill when it was introduced. I wonder if he can justify this stand since his opposition was based on the fact that the money raised by the lottery could be spent on general expenditure over and above youth and sport. How can he justify that principled opposition with what the Government are doing, which is precisely what they opposed less than two years ago, that is, using the money to make up shortfall in other areas? I cannot understand that and perhaps the Minister would tell us how he can square those two views. This appears to be a confidence trick.

I want to bring supplementaries on these questions to a close.

I have been hearing about these accusations of confidence tricks for quite some time. Has the Deputy nothing original to say? I am sick and tired listening to the old nonsense around this House for the last few years.

Stop the blustering. Answer the question. Can the Minister justify——

As I said in my reply:

Under the National Lottery Act, 1986, the lottery surplus may be applied for the purposes of sport and other recreation——

It did not include youth until I added it this year.

The Minister did not include amenities either.

I will come to that.

——national culture (including the Irish language) the arts and the health of the community, and such purposes as the Government may determine from time to time.... The Government have recently decided that amenity and welfare projects may also be funded from — the lottery surplus.

The Minister opposed that when in Opposition.

We had better not get into what the Deputy did or did not do when he was in Government. My record will be better than his.

We will see. This is a confidence trick.

I propoe to call Deputy Naughten and Deputy Mac-Dowell. Then I will call the next question.