In 1825, Daniel O’Connell was invited by the House of Lords Select Committee to give a first-hand account of the living conditions in Ireland, which he did in graphic detail.
The UK government was alarmed so it set up a royal commission chaired by the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Richard Whately, who was also an economist.
The commission sat for three years and produced a report in 1836 which has a number of voluminous appendices which contain a vast amount of information of great historical value. (They are available at UCD Library Cultural Heritage Collections.)
The difficulty was that in Ireland, unlike Britain, there was no work available. Legislation in 1834 abolished outdoor relief and admission to the poorhouse was mandatory for those claiming relief.
David Clifton, Licensing Expert: 10 forecasts and a hope for 2021 Share
March 26, 2021
12 months ago, 2019 ended with a promise within the Queen’s Speech from the then newly elected Conservative Party government to “carry out a Review of the Gambling Act”. Now, 2020 is ending with that promise being fulfilled.
On 8 December 2020, the Gambling Act Review was launched, with a Call for Evidence that runs until midnight on 31 March 2021, following which the government says it will “assess the evidence presented, alongside other data, with the aim of setting out conclusions and any proposals for reform in a white paper next year”.
In summarising the purpose of the Review as being to “ensure gambling laws are fit for a digital age”, its accompanying government press release adopted a phrase used by the former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, back in February 2019.
April 16, 2021
With the launch of the Gambling Act review dominating the betting industry’s agenda last week, Regulus Partners observed that initial reactions suggest the government debate is off to a good start. Can betting remain on the government’s good list this year, or will the festive spirit be short-lived?
UK: In Parliament – the Great British Gambling Act Review – off to a good start
Perhaps it was the spirit of the season but this week’s parliamentary debates on the Gambling Act Review (launched on Tuesday) appeared remarkably consensual and grown-up.
On Tuesday, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nigel Huddleston (Cons, Mid-Worcestershire) introduced the review of the Gambling Act to the House of Commons. His statement was followed up by questions and pseudo-questions from around 40 MPs from across the major parties, each with his or her own pet subject. One day later, it was the turn of the Lords in a rather shorter discu