Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

It was originally envisaged that the fund would be €1 million for last year. It was intended to respond to key issues as they arose. The national drugs strategy team then decided to apply in tranches. If one does not know how much is required one must be careful not to spend all one's money on the first day. My comment about more than €1 million is not new. I sent word before Christmas, I think, to the national drugs strategy team to send in another list of maybe up to €2 million.

The final figures on these items depend on money and need, and on the quality of the projects that might come forward. It is one thing for a group to say it needs €5 million or €10 million but it is a different matter when one sees the quality of the projects submitted. I have asked it to prioritise its submissions and send in a list worth up to €2 million. It set three dates last year, the last being November so no one could accurately predict what would be available.

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