Vol. 547 No. 1
581 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Health and Children the commitment from his Department for capital funding for Aislinn addiction treatment centre, Ballyragget, County Kilkenny; the funding which has been provided to date; if further funds are due from his Department to the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1908/02]
In 1998 my Department approved a capital grant of £150,000 towards the drug treatment centre referred to by the Deputy. According to Departmental files no commitment was given for any additional funding. My officials met with representatives of the centre in 2001 and explained the situation to them and suggested that it may wish to apply for funding under the health and children allocation of lottery funds. This application was received and considered and I am pleased to say that a sum of £100,000 was granted to the centre through this mechanism in December 2001. This sum will assist with additional capital developments. The centre also receives annual funding of £240,000 from the South-Eastern Health Board for drug treatment services for adolescents from the South-Eastern, Southern and Mid-Western Health Boards.
