Minister refuses to be drawn on legalising slot machines

MINISTER FOR Justice Brian Lenihan refused to be drawn on whether legislation on gambling would include provision for slot machines.

He confirmed in the Dáil, however, that the report on regulating gambling in Ireland had specifically recommended against the introduction of slot machines, otherwise known as "fixed odds betting terminals".

The Minister insisted that "the Government has no view on the report because it is anxious to see whether an all-party approach could generate a consensus in this area".

But he stressed that "these machines have been introduced in the UK and they have resulted in a grave increase in gambling addiction".

During justice questions, Labour justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte repeatedly pressed the Minister about the introduction of legislation and he questioned why Mr Lenihan had not published the report in March this year as he had promised.

The report, by the casino regulation committee, was originally submitted to Government in April last year.

Mr Lenihan rejected Mr Rabbitte's claim that it was not published "because of the approach of the bookmakers to the Government with a view to the introduction of these modern-day slot machines".

The Minister replied that he had been exceptionally careful on this issue with regard to people he had spoken to. "I am extremely conscious of the fact that there are strong views held on all sides of this particular issue.

"Since taking up office I have been scrupulous in not holding discussions with any of the interest groups advocating a change in the law in the area of gaming and lotteries. I have had no meetings with any group involved in this particular area."

He added that his main objective was "to arrive at a code which recognises the fact that adults gamble, and that for some it is an enjoyable pastime, but equally that addiction to gambling has the potential to ruin lives".

Mr Lenihan said he accepted all these issues, "but the current position outlined in the report is that this is an area where parts of the law are unworkable".

He told the Labour spokesman that the report was ready for publication and would be, "as soon as the arrangements I envisage for advancing the issues highlighted in it are settled".

The Minister added that "progress can best be achieved through cross-party consensus".

Mr Rabbitte replied that he was "long enough in this House to know that when a Minister wants to embrace me in an all-party committee, it is time to reach for my gun, because something very unpopular is usually in contemplation".

He said that bringing in legislation was the Minister's responsibility and the House responded.

"Will you take any action in respect of the 1,000 people employed in casinos at the moment?

"The casinos are completely unregulated as far as I am aware," said Mr Rabbitte.

The Minister insisted that they had to "get things right" with any new gaming code that emerged from the process of having an all-party committee reach a consensus.