The Minister is most welcome to Seanad Éireann.

The Minister, Deputy Calleary, is very welcome to the House. Of course, he is always welcome to Kildare. I know he has been there a number of times and if he would like to come to see the area I will talk about, he would absolutely be more than welcome. It is just a small detour on the way home to lovely Mayo.

I raise a Commencement in relation to the Moore Abbey estate in Monasterevin, A monastery was originally founded on the Moore Abbey estate in the 6th or 7th century by St. Evin, whom Monasterevin is called after. This monastery was built in a wooded area, Ros Glas, which is now Moore Abbey. In the 1100s, a new abbey was built on the same spot and in the 1760s the 6th Earl of Drogheda acquired the beautiful Moore Abbey estate. He commissioned what is a wonderful historic house, which is rarely open to the public. Sometimes, at the Manley Hopkins festival, I have had the opportunity to be in there. Count John McCormack rented this house for ten years during his successful career. There is talk in the annals about local people hearing the beautiful music and singing coming from Moore Abbey; that was from 1925 to 1935. It then became a convent and now the Muiríosa Foundation owns the House and estate. The Muiríosa Foundation does excellent work for people with autism and people with intellectual disability. At one point, this was a residential home but now, following all the good practice in this area, the people who are clients of Muiríosa Foundation moved from residential out into the community, which is absolutely working for everyone else.

This is a lovely site, with lovely woodland, beautiful walks and a swimming pool. A sale was announced last week of the site of the old St. Paul's Secondary School, which is very happy to have a new St. Paul's Secondary School that opened two years ago. I had hoped this site might transition into an apprenticeship school and had been liaising with the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, in relation to that, but it has been sold to a commercial entity, Lidl, to provide a low-cost shopping supermarket for people in the area. I am sure that is very welcome news, however, the fact is that a very significant sum of money will be going to the State from this sale through the Department of education. That money should be spent in the Monasterevin area. I cannot think of a better acquisition than to try to reach an agreement with the Muiríosa Foundation to be able to acquire part of the Moore Abbey estate.

South Kildare only has one public swimming pool. For the people of Monasterevin, Kildangan, Rathangan and Kildare town, it would be a great boon. Part of the site was already sold a number of years ago to the Department of education to get the new St. Paul's Secondary School. I was involved in that when I was on Kildare County Council. Part of the site is now going for a new fire station for Kildare County Council but it would be wonderful if, through his Department, the Minister could liaise with the Department of education to support this very viable project for the people of Monasterevin and the area.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an ábhar seo a ardú. I thank the Senator not just for raising the issue but for the rich history she has given us. The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht implements a range of schemes and initiatives available to communities across Ireland, including Monasterevin. The supports most relevant to today are those offered under my Department's rural development investment programme. This programme has seen unprecedented growth in funding in recent years and I have had the privilege, as Minister, of seeing at first hand the real impact it is making across the country. Support is available to local authorities and other organisations in a wide range of areas, including: the refurbishment and development of community centres; provision of community recreational facilities; support for the purchase and redevelopment of vacant and derelict buildings in our rural towns and villages; the strengthening of the network of trails and walkways, which are such an asset; and the regeneration of towns and villages and the regeneration of buildings that may be in local authority ownership or community ownership, for use.

In developing this range of interventions, my Department has devoted significant time and effort to develop and to maintain our professional working relationships with local authorities. This is because the local authorities in the main, lead the development and implementation of our projects on the ground. I am very happy to say that my Department has worked very well with Kildare County Council on an ongoing basis in recent years across a range of projects. Most recently, I was delighted to be able to announce support under the town and village renewal scheme. Among the 116 projects sharing in the funding allocation were projects in Clane and Athgarvan. In October, I was delighted to announce over €20 million in support for 30 projects under category 2 of the rural regeneration and development fund. Category 2 funding is designed to support applicants such as county councils to ensure that detailed planning and preparation is in place to support the successful delivery of large-scale capital projects. I was delighted be able to make that announcement in Athy, at the Shackleton centre. I am happy to note that the announcement includes an allocation of over €160,000 for Kildare County Council to support the Monasterevin town square regeneration projects. My officials continue to work closely with colleagues in Kildare County Council towards delivering on our shared ambition for rural Ireland and for Kildare.

All of these investments are framed within the context of the Government's national rural development policy, Our Rural Future. The current policy ran from 2021 to 2025. It saw impactful and important improvements delivered across Government in areas such as digital connectivity, rural transport, support for rural enterprises and the development and support of the types of amenities and facilities that Senator O'Loughlin has raised here today.

In keeping with our commitment in the programme for Government, work is now well advanced on the drafting of a new our rural future policy, which will cover the period to 2031. I remain committed to working with Senator O'Loughlin and all colleagues in this House to ensure that we will continue to build a more vibrant and sustainable future for rural communities across Ireland, Kildare and in Monasterevin.

I thank the Minister for his response. We were delighted to welcome him to Athy to the Shackleton Experience, which I know he found enthralling. It is fantastic and I would recommend everybody to come to visit it. Of course the Monasterevin town square regeneration project funding was very much welcomed, along with the funding allocations for Clane and Athgarvan.

I want to come back briefly to Moore Abbey. I believe this would be a vital regenerative source for the public in Monasterevin and would bring new life and new opportunities for people in the town with the public having access to it. This really is a jewel in the crown for Monasterevin and for County Kildare. The model of how we support people with intellectual disabilities has changed and the Muiríosa Foundation now has its administrative centre there.

However, I believe that it would and could be open to the suggestion of sharing this fabulous space with the public. I hope there will be an opportunity down the line but I would like to know whether the Minister would be open to something like this if it came to him.

There is no doubt that there is huge potential for projects such as the one the Senator referenced. They will provide services and supports that not only sustain communities in County Kildare and throughout the country, but also develop them and allow communities to enjoy the facilities that are there. We support projects across the Government to help with not just housing requirements, but also community requirements, and to help develop the sporting and recreational facilities that are used by people every day to maintain and enrich our cultural heritage. The project the Senator speaks about sounds like a fantastic opportunity to mix all of those ambitions.

My Department and my colleagues across the Government are committed to making sure that the required supports are in place to ensure that rural communities are in a position to grow and thrive. We were delighted to be able to secure from our colleague, the Minister, Jack Chambers, a sum of €611 million in budget 2026. That will allow us to make further calls for applications to local authorities under schemes such as the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, CLÁR and the community centres investment fund.

As always, there are a range of opportunities open to local authorities from within our Department to assist in the development of projects and I look forward to taking up the Senator's invitation to visit County Kildare once again and experience her wonderful hospitality. We will include Monasterevin on our trip.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. A couple of weeks ago on the Order of Business, I raised the 100th anniversary of an event that so far has gone largely unmarked in the commemorations surrounding the decade of centenaries. Since then, I have had the pleasure of meeting a group of the surviving relatives of the Peterhead Ten and have come to realise not only the extent of the sacrifice these brave men made, but also the unique significance of their contributions.

I will give a bit of background to this issue. I know the Minister of State comes from a Border county himself, so he might be familiar with the nature of what happened at the time. On a morning in February 1922, the then British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, received a telegram informing him that large bands of insurgents had crossed the emerging frontier before entering the Six Counties. Understanding the context of this incursion is very significant. The Anglo-Irish Treaty had been signed in December 2021 and ratified by Dáil Éireann in January 2022 but had not yet come into effect. While Northern Ireland had already come into existence in May 1921, the Free State did not formally come into being until 6 December 1922 in the midst of the Civil War. It was not until the Free State was in existence that Northern Ireland was then permitted to opt out of the jurisdiction. I am sorry to be giving a history lesson but the background is important, as this was a very specific timeline.

The incursion took place before legal partition and before the outbreak of the Civil War but within the context of an understanding that a border was coming and increasing tensions between pro- and anti-Treaty elements of the IRA. Understanding this context is key to understanding the individuals who took place in this incursion, because this group, which was very unique, comprised men who were known to be pro- and anti-Treaty, which was significant at the time. They worked together to achieve a common objective.

Among the large body of insurgents was a group of ten men, comprising five volunteers and officers from Leitrim, three from Longford - Frank Reilly, William Reilly and Joseph Lee - along with the famous Sean Flood from Dublin and Jim Davis from Derry. These were called the Peterhead Ten because they were held in the brutal Peterhead prison in Scotland and were among the last IRA prisoners to be released from British prisons in 1926.

A few weeks ago, I outlined the events that resulted in their incarceration but today would like to focus my comments on the five individuals from County Leitrim, which is in my constituency and is the reason I am bringing this up, who were sent to Peterhead following their capture in this cross-Border raid.

Joseph Reynolds from Aghacashel sacrificed his youth and liberty to fight for Ireland. He was involved in the struggle for freedom from a very young age, having been instructed by Seán Mac Diarmada, also a Leitrim man, as early as 1913. He worked closely with Countess Markievicz.

Following his release from Peterhead he emigrated to the US and during the Second World War he served in the American army as a radio operator. He became president of the Leitrim Society of New York and died in 1987. It was Joseph's grand-niece, Linda McManus from Sligo, who first contacted me about the centenary of their release.

The next man I want to speak about is John Joe Griffin from Gortletteragh and Drumshanbo. He was a teacher before he joined the first battalion in Leitrim. He went on to serve in the newly founded An Garda Síochána – my own grandfather was one of the first gardaí as well – serving in Limerick and Portlaoise. He went to his reward in 1971.

The next man is Charlie Reynolds, also from Drumshanbo. He also joined the Garda after the Civil War.

Bernie Sweeney from Ballinamore was a member of the south Leitrim flying column. He was a survivor of the Selton ambush near Gorvagh in 1921, during which he was seriously injured and six members of the flying column killed. Following the War of Independence and the Civil War he set up a family business in Ballinamore before passing away in 1974.

John Kiernan from Newtowngore was only 19 when he was arrested. He had not been involved in the War of Independence and was probably recruited for the operation because he had a good knowledge of driving and motor cars. After his release he went on to run the family business in Newtowngore. He died in 1931, very sadly aged only 23. His years of incarceration cut his life all too short.

These five men from County Leitrim were five ordinary men who were called on to do extraordinary things. Leitrim was and remains a Border county. The proximity of this artificial border continues to have a cultural and economic impact in the areas where we live.

The campaign is for these men to get the proper recognition they deserve. Unfortunately because they came out in 1926 this falls outside the decade of centenaries. The campaign is supported by Leitrim and Longford county councils. Deputies Micheál Carrigy and Martin Kenny, and the Minister of State, Deputy Frank Feighan, are aware of the campaign. Leitrim and Longford county councils are currently arranging exhibitions to commemorate the event. As it is such a unique situation and because it was such a mixture of pro- and anti-Treaty men fighting in this, they need the recognition they deserve.

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am glad to be able to update her on behalf of the Department on appropriate commemorative funding programmes available through the commemorations unit of the Department. She laid out very well the background and history to this event. I encourage her to engage further with the commemorative unit in the Department after this.

There are four pillars through which historical events can be marked and remembered including State commemoration, artistic expression, historical analysis and community-led commemorations. The State has adopted a facilitative and partnership approach to commemorations whereby support is provided by the Department to key stakeholders and project partners for the delivery of commemorative events and initiatives. Last month, the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, approved a total funding allocation of €705,000 to local authorities for the development of community-led commemorative events and initiatives. The chief executives of each local authority have been written to and comprehensive guidelines have been shared that will assist our co-ordinators on their commemorative paths.

The framework of commemorations was established to ensure that key historical events and themes could be remembered appropriately, proportionately and with a focus on understanding and reconciliation. To ensure this was achieved, the State established an expert advisory group to provide independent and expert advice to the State on commemorative matters. The committee was chaired by Dr. Maurice Manning and the late Dr. Martin Mansergh was the deputy chair. The group established principles and guidance for the State in consultation with the all-party consultation group on commemorations. The recommendations from the expert advisory committee were very clear and there are a number of main points relevant to the matter the Senator presented today.

The expert advisory group recommended a State commemoration to remember and acknowledge all those who fought, died and were affected by the War of Independence. This moving ceremony was hosted by the Taoiseach and presided over by President Michael D. Higgins on the 11 July 2021 - the centenary of the signing of the Anglo-Irish truce.

Inclusivity is a core principle of commemorations. There is a mature understanding that the impact of the events and actions of the War of Independence did not simply end with the signing of the truce.

There were many individuals, families and communities across the country who continued, often silently, to deal with the ramifications and trauma of the events. There is no restrictive timeframe or established condition one must meet to be included or commemorated. To ensure everyone affected is remembered, all events during the decade of centenaries programme were about the collective rather than individual personalities.

Our approach towards memorials and monuments also aligns with the guidance of the expert advisory group in that, traditionally, the State has not provided support for the provision of new memorials, monuments, plaques, busts or statues for historical personages. It has favoured the creation of permanent and lasting legacies such as resources and research material that can be shared freely with the public to engage, educate and inform.

Local authorities may choose to provide support from their resources to local communities to erect and maintain monuments if they deem it an appropriate approach. I suggest that any community groups or interested individuals who have ideas for commemorative initiatives contact the commemorations co-ordinators in their local authorities. All projects selected for support are required to be in keeping with the principles of commemorations and are at the discretion of the local authority.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. He confirmed I am right that they are still eligible for this even though the period falls outside the decade of centenaries. As there have been a number of different local authorities involved, would it be possible to go between Longford County Council and Leitrim County Council and for both to work together?

Yes.

From here, I need to rally the troops, even in the Seanad, to make sure we are supportive of this. Am I correct that the €750,000 is available until the end of this year? Did the Minister of State say that at the end of his contribution?

Yes, that is for this year.

Does he know if there will be a new round of money next year?

I do not know at this point.

Is the €750,000 for every local authority?

Yes.

It is small enough then, but it is good to know they are eligible to apply because, for the War of Independence, it does not have to fall within those dates. That is great.

I thank the Senator again for bringing up the matter today and explaining the background and history of these events and the people involved so well and respectfully. The State collectively, because of the collaborative approach we have taken, has dealt with this well in recent years and there is capacity through the commemoration co-ordinators in the local authorities. A number of people from different counties were involved, but they will have the capacity to engage and consult one another on any proposal that might be put to them. Today, I encourage the Senator to engage further with them and thank her for raising it.

As the next Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, has entered the Dáil Chamber for a vote, we will pause until he returns to the Chamber for Senator Keogan's Commencement matter.

I rise to seek clarity from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding the Government’s response to the European Parliament’s recent designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. This decision reflects serious concerns about the IRGC’s role in repression in Iran and its activities beyond the country's borders. Given the gravity of that assessment, it is important for this House to understand Ireland’s considered position.

First, what assessment has the Department undertaken on the implications for Ireland’s foreign policy position? Do we continue with diplomacy as usual, even as the EU identifies a core organ of the Iranian state as a terrorist entity?

Second, what assessment has been carried out on the implications for Ireland’s sanctions regime? Listing the IRGC is not merely about words on paper, it carries operational consequences such as asset freezes and criminalisation of material support. Ireland cannot simply hope someone else enforces these measures. We must know whether our own financial systems, regulators and law enforcement agencies are prepared to implement them in full.

Third, what does this mean for Ireland’s diplomatic engagement? We maintain relations with Tehran and host diplomatic staff, but the IRGC is deeply integrated into the Iranian state apparatus.

Where does that leave us? What risk assessments have been completed? What measures are being taken to ensure Ireland is not a soft entry point for influence operations, intimidation of dissidents or the misuse of diplomatic cover?

Fourth, what assessment has been taken regarding national security? While we do not have publicly reported IRGC activity in Ireland, the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Europol has warned for years of IRGC extraterritorial activities. Other EU states have uncovered plots, surveillance operations and targeted threats on their soil. Have we examined whether similar risks exist here? Have our security services issued guidance, undertaken reviews or strengthened monitoring?

Finally, will Ireland support, advocate for or implement further EU-level or domestic measures arising from this designation? The time for ambiguity has passed. The Irish people deserve clarity, Iranian dissidents deserve solidarity and the international community deserves a partner, not a bystander.

I thank Members for their patience; there was a vote in the Dáil just now. I thank Senator Keogan for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for foreign affairs and for Defence, Deputy McEntee.

At the January Foreign Affairs Council, EU ministers discussed the current situation in Iran, particularly the EU’s response to Iran’s brutally violent repression of protesters. The Council agreed unanimously to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. This decision was taken in response to the IRGC’s central role in the violent attacks on street protesters. The Council also agreed on additional sanctions being placed on persons directly involved or complicit in the attacks on protestors, including the Minister of Interior. Other sanctions were brought against those involved in Iran’s continuing support for Russia's illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, and expanded export controls. Both the Government and the European Union have condemned the actions of repression. Full information is emerging only slowly because of the authorities’ continuing restrictions on communications in Iran, but it is clear that many thousands have been killed and many more injured and imprisoned.

Following political agreement at the council, the formal procedures for designating the IRGC as a terrorist organisation are now being worked through, and this should be completed quite quickly. This designation of the IRGC will introduce an asset freeze, a prohibition on providing funds and a travel ban on IRGC personnel. Many members of the IRGC are already subject to these restrictions under other EU sanctions regimes, including under the headings of global human rights, Iran’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and Iran’s nuclear programme.

All three of these sanction lists are kept under constant review, with names of key individuals and entities, including those in the IRGC, added as appropriate. There may well be further listings in relation to the recent violence, as further perpetrators are identified.

The IRGC is a central pillar of the Iranian regime and the designation may well negatively impact on EU-Iran relations and member states' bilateral relations. We hope this is not the case. It was not agreed lightly but the actions of the IRGC have been a major concern for many years. It is its actions and those of the Iranian authorities, more broadly, which have made this step unavoidable.

As the EU High Representative has stated, it remains essential to engage diplomatically with Iran to try to resolve the very many areas in which Iran's actions are a serious concern. The Minister welcomes engagement between Iran and the United States and hopes it will lead to agreement on how to address the legitimate concerns of the international community regarding the nature of Iran's nuclear programme. The EU and its member states remain open to dialogue with Iran on these and other issues. No EU member state has indicated any intention of breaking diplomatic relations with Iran. We intend to maintain relations with Iran, including resident embassies in both capitals, and to use these channels and other forums, such as the UN Human Rights Council, to press our concerns upon Iran on these issues of concern to encourage those who oppose repression and violence.

Ireland will continue to monitor the situation in Iran. We call for the end of further violence and the full restoration of communication services. The Government will remain in close co-ordination with our EU partners on this issue.

I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that the Foreign Affairs Council is working through the sanctions that will be introduced and that it takes times. However, while I speak and representatives of the US and the Islamic regime are in Geneva, people are being shot for protesting on the streets of Abdanan in Iran. The IRGC is a terrorist organisation and the Iranian Government is a terrorist government. It must be replaced immediately. The IRGC has tentacles that stretch into Gaza with Hamas, into Lebanon with the Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen and in Syria with Bashar al-Assad. These guys know nothing about diplomacy. All they know is the barrel of a gun. That is their diplomacy so the sooner they are replaced, the better.

I am really disappointed with President Trump. He told the people of Iran that help was on its way. I hope he sticks to his word and brings that help to the Iranian people because they are crying out for it on the streets of Iran.

Again, I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Helen McEntee.

Ireland supported the decision to designate Iran's IRGC as a terrorist organisation in response to its role in the violent attacks on street protestors. The final enactment of this designation should be completed in only a few weeks. Implementation of this measure will be done in the same way as existing sanctions. Many members of the IRGC are already subject to these restrictions under other EU sanctions regimes. Designation of the IRGC may well negatively impact on EU-Iran relations and our bilateral relations. However, a clear political statement was needed in response to the IRGC's brutal involvement in the repression of Iranian citizens, both during the protests and for many decades. Iran knows what to do to improve relations.

We remain ready, both nationally and with our EU partners, to ensure that diplomatic channels with Iran remain open, as there remain many issues for which we need to find negotiated solutions. Dialogue is the only way to achieve this. I hope the Iranian authorities will seize the opportunity for meaningful dialogue to address the legitimate concerns of the international community.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, for being in the House this afternoon. I understand that the Minister with responsibility, whose presence I had requested, is travelling overseas, so I appreciate that the Minister of State has taken the time to come to respond to this Commencement matter. I had been seeking that the Minister for public expenditure would attend the Seanad today to update us on his engagement with the Gambling Regulatory Authority on the regulations that will be issued for gambling and betting. I am specifically seeking clarification from the Minister on his engagement with the authority on the national lottery.

As the Minister of State will be aware, the national lottery comes under the remit of the Minister with responsibility for public expenditure. Next year, the national lottery will be 40 years old. In the 40 years, more than €6 billion of funding has been dispensed to good causes including everything from sports pitches to theatres, museums and the Special Olympics. It channels funding from ordinary citizens who play the lotto in their local newsagent or Spar or Centra, to the governing bodies and organisations, which in turn support cultural, sporting and charitable good causes in all of our communities around the country. It is incredibly valuable funding and it is an incredibly valuable mechanism for the citizens of Ireland to have available to them to play the lotto, have a chance to win, but know at the same time that they are contributing towards good causes, primarily charitable causes.

A pattern and activity has developed whereby betting organisations are taking bets on the lotto. People are betting on what the lotto result will be. A lot of them think they are betting on the lotto and contributing to the fund that contributes to and funds good causes but in actual fact, what they are doing is placing a bet in a bookies or online with a bookie, and that bet is on the outcome of the lotto.

What is the result? It is fewer sales for the lotto. That means fewer funds for the lotto to distribute to good causes. It is damaging our national lottery. It is damaging a fund that was directly created to give citizens an opportunity to contribute to good causes in a regulated and structured manner and in a way that is really meaningful and that has been hugely powerful.

I was hoping the Minister for public expenditure with responsibility for the lottery and its integrity, which we all recognise as a valuable entity, could update the House on what action his Department is taking to engage with the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, which was established under the gambling regulations legislation introduced in 2024 to stop that practice. Most countries in Europe have banned the practice of betting on the lottery. Ireland is an outlier and we are falling behind our European partners in this regard. We need to catch up because if we do not, it is going to continue to damage the lottery. It is going to continue to erode and take from sales of the lottery, which in turn erodes and takes from the fund that is available to good causes.

I again thank the Minister of State for being here. I hope that the Department has sent him with an update that will outline to the House what actions are being taken to protect the national lottery and to ensure that it continues to be available as a valuable fund to help support good causes right across the country.

I want to address the issue raised by Senator Fitzpatrick regarding the current practice of lottery betting as a betting activity. It is great to be back in the Seanad again. I thank the Senator for the articulate, informative and measured way that she put across this argument. I have a kind of an interest in this because in 1985 I worked in Australia and I saw how the lotto worked there and how it provided lots of funding for sport and health and when the lottery opened up here in Ireland, as a newsagent I applied for a lotto licence, which certainly benefited us.

I was secretary of Boyle Celtic at the time, and we were the first or second club to apply for sports grants. I remember coming up here in 1987. There was a Fianna Fáil-led Government of which, I think, the late Seán Doherty and the former Minister Frank Fahey were members. We got £20,000 at the time. That made a huge difference to our football club, which has gone from strength to strength ever since.

We have seen over the years how this has evolved. I also like to gamble as well sometimes, between doing the lotto and going into bookies' shops. I see how important this has been for bookies' shops, but I would like to think the money that people spend on the lotto comes back to the State, and I think the Senator made a very strong argument in that regard.

The issue of betting on the national lottery through private bookmakers is a matter for the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, GRAI. The latter was established by legislation, as the Senator said, as recently as 2024. It is intended and expected to bring greater oversight and scrutiny to the gambling sector in Ireland. The role of the GRAI is to make sure that gambling is well regulated and fair, that standards are in place and monitored, and that protections are there for those who are most vulnerable, particularly children. As regulator, the GRAI will be working to prevent gambling from being a source of or support to crime, putting certain limits on advertising and inducements and raising greater awareness of gambling harms.

The GRAI aims to build a high standard of protection for consumers and to ensure the integrity and fairness of gambling operations in Ireland. Of course, it is appropriate to note in the context the very valuable role and work of the statutory independent Regulator of the National Lottery in ensuring that the dual operations of the lottery remain fair, just and safe. The work of the regulator has helped to give confidence to the purchasers of lottery tickets, that the process is overseen and its propriety and integrity is preserved. The legal framework for regulating the national lottery is well established, robust and functioning effectively.

The issue raised by the Senator is, naturally, an important one of which the Department is aware. The Minister for public expenditure is responsible for the legislation underpinning the national lottery, which is the National Lottery Act 2013, and overseeing the distribution of the lottery's funding of good causes. Our Department, of course, has a natural interest in protecting and supporting and in helping to protect and support the unique identify, value and status of the national lottery for the people of Ireland.

The GRAI has responsibility for regulating gambling activity in Ireland other than the operations of the national lottery, which is specifically excluded from its remit. The national lottery is independently regulated under statute, as I have noted, by the Regulator of the National Lottery. However, betting on the National Lottery through private bookmakers and gambling entities is a matter for the GRAI and will no doubt be considered within the framework of its own statutory framework and responsibilities.

Officials from the Department of public expenditure met with the Gambling Regulation Authority of Ireland in December of last year about betting on the national lottery and the licensing regime relating thereto. The authority has informed the Department of public expenditure that it is currently examining the practice of operators offering bets on national lottery draws.

The Minister of State could not have done better justice to the Commencement, particularly considering his personal history with it. Well done to him. He outlined perfectly how to the lotto works to fund grassroots good causes.

I welcome the reply, which outlines very clearly the responsibilities that rest with the GRAI and the Minister for public expenditure. I also welcome the fact that officials from the Department met with the GRAI as recently as December and are examining this issue. I would urge the Minister of State, not just in his capacity as a Minister of State in the Government but as somebody with a personal history and a real appreciation of the value of the national lottery to good causes in our country, to personally engage with the officials on this issue. As I said, Ireland is falling behind other countries in Europe. We are, I believe, one of only three countries left in the European Union that have not yet banned betting on the lotto. I urge the Minister of State to engage with the officials and to work with them to seek and secure a ban on betting on the lotto. It will only protect the lotto, the fund and a source of essential funding for good causes. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could take that action.

The authority has received submissions on this issue from Premier Lotteries Ireland, the Irish Postmasters Union and others.

It is carrying out research on regulatory approaches in other EU and EEA jurisdictions as part of its engagement with the authority on this matter. Premier Lotteries Ireland has made the case that prohibiting betting on the lottery will enhance the revenue for good causes.

In its engagement with the GRAI, which is an independent regulator operating within its own statutory framework, this Department’s perspective has been informed by two important considerations. The first is protecting the value and reputation of the national lottery while the second is ensuring the long-term sustainability of the national lottery and subsequently the indirect safeguarding of good causes funding into the future as a result. These considerations are effectively linked with the brand and reputation of the national lottery feeding into the revenue for good causes. As such, the Department has emphasised that any action which protects and enhances the reputation of the national lottery and protects and supports the revenue for good causes would be welcome. This is the key concern of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and his Department. The Department has already engaged with the GRAI and we are open to further engagement. We are very conscious of the very valuable investment in our communities funded by the national lottery and everything we do in this regard will be informed by the core consideration to maintain the relevance and value of the national lottery for future generations.