€5.5 Billion Raised for Good Causes
Thursday 24th October 2019:
We are delighted to announce today that National Lottery players have raised €5.5 billion for Good Causes across the country since we began selling our first products back in 1987 . By playing National Lottery games, people in Ireland have made a vital contribution to the many thousands of projects, clubs and organisations in communities all over the country since the National Lottery’s inception 32 years ago.
This news came today as popular journalist, broadcaster and Irish language advocate, Gráinne Seoige was announced as the host of the upcoming National Lottery Good Causes Awards which will take place at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road in Dublin on Saturday 2nd November. Ms. Seoige will be supported by presenter and social media influencer, James Patrice.
The Good Causes Awards honour the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals from all over Ireland that have had an extraordinary impact on their local communities with the help of National Lottery Good Causes funding. This year there have been almost 500 applications received and they have been narrowed down to 36 finalists across the areas of Sport & Recreation, Arts & Culture, Community, Youth and Health & Wellbeing. Seven category winners will be selected on the night and from those winners, one Good Cause of the Year will be selected.
Almost 30c from every €1 spent on National Lottery games going back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language. National Lottery CEO, Andrew Algeo was alongside Ms Seoige and Mr Patrice in St. Stephen’s Green announcing this incredible amount of money which has been raised since 1987. Announcing the €5.5 billion raised for Good Causes, Mr Algeo spoke of the special place the National Lottery holds in Irish society, since it was created by the Government in 1987 with the express purpose of raising funds for Good Causes.
He said: “The National Lottery is here to grow a unique ecosystem where the players of our games help to fund the Good Causes that transform and help define the communities in which we all live. We’d be hard pushed to find a town or village in Ireland that hasn’t in some way benefited from the €5.5 billion of National Lottery funding which has been raised over the last three decades. Approximately, 4,000 organisations and groups receive funding each year and the impact of their work on their communities is invaluable. This is all thanks to our players, one of whom became the 16th National Lottery millionaire of 2019 after winning last night’s €5.3 million Lotto jackpot in Waterford, and all of whom will help someone in Ireland by growing the funding for Good Causes.”
Speaking ahead of the second National Lottery Good Causes Awards, Gráinne Seoige said: “I am absolutely delighted to be involved in these unique awards this year. We all know that the National Lottery is used to celebrating winners. I have been learning about the inspiring work that each of the 36 finalists in this competition does and it is truly humbling. It’s also exciting to get to know the people behind these Good Causes who are coming from all over Ireland to this event and I cannot wait to learn who the winners will be.”