Sir, - I welcome the response of the Tanaiste, Mary Harney, to the call by the OECD for deregulation of a range of sectors within the Irish economy. However, as managing director of the largest betting chain in Ireland, I was disappointed that the OECD and the Tanaiste did not target my own industry for the same treatment.
Although it may seem strange, I would welcome any move to remove the restrictions in the 1931 Betting Act which limit the number of betting shops and restrict the business that can be carried on in such shops to betting alone.
I subscribe to the idea that competition would be good for both the consumer and the betting industry and as, for example, there is no law prohibiting someone from opening a cafe beside another cafe, why should the law of the land stop any licensed bookmaker from opening up for business where they believe there is a demand. Also following from the logic of the Tanaiste, who argued, if a cafe wishes to serve beer with lunch it is no business of the State, why should bookmakers not be able to sell copies of the Racing Post in their shops? - Yours, etc.,
Stewart Kenny, Paddy Power Bookmakers, Airton Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24.