Deputy Jim O’Callaghan: I welcome that this legislation is being introduced and debated on Second Stage. The Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and the House will be aware that for many years Fianna Fáil has been calling for legislation to regulate gambling. Unfortunately, the legislation before the House is not the type of legislation we want to see enacted. We believe there is need for much more thorough control and regulation of gambling. Regrettably, the legislation before us deals only with very small aspects of the issues concerning gambling that are problematic in this country. Notwithstanding this, Fianna Fáil will be supporting this legislation but we will be tabling amendments to it on Committee Stage, which we believe will improve the legislation. Hopefully, we will be able to have legislation enacted that will have the effect of increasing regulation in this industry which plays such a prominent part in Irish life and also, regrettably, creates so many problems for people in Irish society.

We spend a lot of our time in this Oireachtas enacting laws that seek to regulate the behaviour of individuals, be it laws that seek to restrict the speed at which people travel in motor vehicles, the amount of alcohol they consume if driving a car, the regulation of the sale of alcohol or the regulation of professions. We have a vast amount of legislation on or Statute Book dealing with the regulation of human behaviour. Where that regulation is most intrusive is when the State believes there are activities that are taking place which if left unregulated will inflict considerable damage on members of society. It is surprising that we have not regulated gambling in any great detail in this country. The legislation deals with the amendment of gambling legislation enacted in the 1950s. This shows that all of us have failed in our tasks to ensure there is a proper system of regulation in place.

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