Irish politician calls on govt to work with sporting organisations

The Sinn Féin has called on the Irish government to work with sporting organisations to roll out awareness campaigns.

Ireland.- Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly TD asked the government on Thursday to engage with Irish sporting organisations. The Irish political party wants the government to work with them in order to come up with a problem gambling awareness campaign.

O’Reilly said that there are many organisations, journalists, advocates, and opposition politicians who have been highlighting the issue of problem gambling for some time now, but that there has been little action from the government on the matter. “As a society, we are more aware than ever of the damage caused by problem gambling,” she said.

“The scale of the problem in this State is apparent. We have the highest online gambling losses in the world per capita and the third highest gambling losses overall per capita. That is a fact that should scare politicians, but the reality is that it doesn’t,” explained the spokesperson.

Moreover, O’Reilly said that they need action on a number of fronts, particularly as regards treatment for problem gambling within the health services, regulation of the gambling industry, as well as raising awareness.

“As well as implementing legislative change to ensure regulation of the industry, the government should engage with sporting organisations such as Sport Ireland, the FAI, the GAA, the LGFA and the Camogie Association, the IRFU, and Athletics Ireland, to name but a few, and work with them in the rollout a problem gambling awareness campaign.”