Lottery allocation for sport
McGinley argued that reducing sport’s share from 55 per cent departed from the lottery’s original purpose and asked whether it could fall to 5 or 10 per cent. The Minister urged him to await the allocations, and Keating referred to the record of earlier opposition.
Is the Minister aware that there was vigorous opposition to the Bill dealing with the lottery when it was debated in the House in June 1986 mainly from his side of the House on the basis that the entire proceeds were not going to sport? Will the Minister not agree that in his announcement today, and in the announcement made last June, we have departed from the original percentage of 55 per cent to sport? Will he agree that it could be as low as 5 per cent or 10 per cent now? Will the Minister agree that that is a violation of the entire spirit of the lottery and the spirit in which the Irish people have contributed to it so far?
Comment on this
I suggest that the Deputy should wait and see the allocations before he makes any wild accusations such as he has made. I might add that I must have been in the European Parliament on the days there was opposition to this measure.
