I will make a couple of quick points on that, including on An Garda Síochána and the comparators around the investigative and prosecutorial roles. This is why those parts are being exempt. This authority would have investigatory and prosecutorial roles. The rate of the levy will be public knowledge and it will be based on turnover. The information that is sensitive is the information inputted from an individual company to calculate its levy rate. That would be commercially sensitive information. The levy rate will …

No.

I agree with the Deputy that there is a lack of supports for people facing gambling addiction and non-substance addictions in general. They were not taken seriously for a long time. One of the key reasons for putting the social impact fund into this legislation is to make the industry pay for much of the damage it is causing. Section 52 provides that the social impact fund shall be funded by annual contributions from licensees except for charitable or philanthropic licensees. Contributions to the fund will be deter…

I move amendment No. 27: In page 55, line 6, to delete “Subject to sections 66 and 67 ” and substitute “Subject to section 66 ”. Amendments Nos. 27, 29, 30 and 34 are technical amendments. The first three are necessary due to the deletion of section 67 and to correct and update any renumbered section references as a result. Regarding amendment No. 34, as I outlined on Committee Stage, it is my intention to amend the advertising provisions in the Bill to provide greater clarity and certainty to licensees and persons…

With regard to the discussions, as someone who practised as a barrister for 13 years, I know it can often depend on the individual judge. Most have no interest in it but some do and, on occasion, they have looked to it. The amendment is to ensure that what we might call brand advertising without a call to action is included. It is something that came up in a number of discussions. If someone puts up a post from Paddy Power and it is not calling on people to bet or do anything like that, but it is a brand and it is …

With regard to a commercial gambling company putting a brand ad up where there is not a call to action and it is not calling it a bet, but it is posting it, for example, from its own Paddy Power Facebook page, yes, that is advertising, although I should not name particular commercial organisations. It is pushing its brand and it will be considered advertising. What we are doing here is setting out broad principles. We are giving the regulator the power to make detailed regulations around frequency and location to e…

I move amendment No. 28: In page 55, line 12, to delete "the betting activity is" and substitute "the betting activity is pool betting that is". With this series of amendments to the Bill, I am introducing a change for the benefit and protection of charitable and philanthropic licensees. As published, the Bill provides that the holder of a gambling licence for a charitable or philanthropic purpose may provide gaming, betting or lotteries for the purposes of fund-raising. Following consideration of this approach, it…

Regarding Deputy Gould's point, those race nights - I have been involved in many of them myself - would be covered under the pool betting side of it. What we are doing here is just to ensure that charities cannot, in effect, become bookmakers. That becomes a hugely high risk to them where they can incur huge losses, quite quickly. With the pool betting, the odds are fixed. Those types of race nights where people put in their €2 and they have videos will be covered under the pool betting side of it. The definition w…

The definitions are based on the recommendation of the Attorney General and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel but I hear the Deputy's concerns. I will take another look at it but, as I said, we have been given advice in relation to it.

I move amendment No. 29: In page 55, line 17, to delete “Subject to sections 66 and 67 ” and substitute “Subject to section 66 ”.

I move amendment No. 30: In page 55, line 27, to delete “Subject to sections 66 and 67 ” and substitute “Subject to section 66 ”.

I move amendment No. 31: In page 56, line 13, to delete “a betting activity” and substitute “pool betting”.

I move amendment No. 32: In page 56, line 14, to delete “such activity” and substitute “such pool betting”.

I thank Senator O'Reilly for raising the important matter of the recruitment and retention of Reserve Defence Force members. I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, who unfortunately cannot be here. The Tánaiste asked me to pass on his apologies to the House. On his behalf, I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter and thank Senator O’Reilly for his question. I reiterate the Government’s commitment to the RDF. The immediate focus for the Tánaiste as Minister for Defence is on s…

I hear Senator O'Reilly's concerns. I again thank him for raising this important matter. I know the Defence Forces are very important to him and I assure him that the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence shares those concerns. That is why he has implemented the regeneration plan, which he intends to advance as quickly as possible. The ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces with regard to recruitment and retention are fully acknowledged and well documented. In this, however, we are no different from other in…

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this very important matter relating to the increase in core funding for ECCE services and, in particular, concerns about Taney Playschool in Dundrum. Investment in early learning and childcare is at unprecedented levels, with public funding for early learning and childcare for the first time reaching more than €1.1 billion in 2024, a clear demonstration from the Government of the value of the sector. The overwhelming majority of this funding is allocated through Together for Bette…

I thank the Senator again for raising the important issue of ECCE funding. I noted his passion and concern for Taney playschool in Dundrum and I will certainly relay his concerns to the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, and ask him to have his officials engage with the organisation.

I thank Senator Conway for raising this important issue, which I know he is very passionate about. I am answering on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. The State acknowledges the importance of access to medicines and has made considerable investments in new medicines in recent years. Last year, a record of more than €3 billion of public funding was spent on medicines for patients in Ireland. This represents almost €1 of every €8 spent by the State on healthcare. This is in the context of a total allocation fo…

Investing in the health of our people is exactly what the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is doing. That is why the Minister has put record funding into medicines and he continues to do the important work he is doing in this area. That funding was not always made available by previous Governments. A medicines sustainability task force has been established as a priority work stream of the joint HSE-Department of health savings and productivity programme. This task force is a joint endeavour, co-chaired by senior HSE and …

The Minister for Transport sends his apologies. He would like to thank the Senator for the opportunity to address this issue. Improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving citizens' quality of life and addressing our climate action challenge, and this Government is committed to a fundamental change in the nature of transport in Ireland. The Minister for Transport has seen the media reports of recent weeks with regard to a planned proposal related to the DART+ coastal south project a…