Irish government offers lottery compensation grants

The Department of Finance in the Irish Republic is inviting applications for compensation from groups which run charitable lotteries. The Charitable Lotteries Fund was set up in 1997 to provide funds from the proceeds of the National Lottery to supplement the income of private charitable lotteries whose products are competing with the National Lottery.

The two general categories of lottery eligible for compensation are scratch cards and lines or draws with a weekly or higher frequency sold on an annual basis. The compensation scheme relates to bodies engaged in charitable activities which were operating a lottery under the provisions of Gaming and Lottery legislation on or before 1 January 1997.

Applications will be assessed by an Independent Committee working to a set of criteria which are regularly reviewed.

The latest date and time for the receipt of applications is 28th October. Application forms and guidelines are available from the Department of Finance on 01 6696334 or on their website.