The current Irish National Lottery licence was issued as long ago as December 2001 and is now getting close to expiry at the end of June in 2013.

Yesterday the Minister for Expenditure & Public Reform, Mr Brendan Howlin, announced that the next Irish National Lottery licence will be put out for tender and that it will last for a whopping 20 years.

No doubt the new extended term is designed to get a larger up-front payment from the operator to the State, which in turn will be used to reduce the deficit and make the Government look good.

Same old politicians.