Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State's announcement. It will be music to the ears of the many families and disability groups who have encouraged us to harass and harry the Minister of State over the past number of months. I had no doubt of the Minister of State's concern to have this matter resolved. I welcome his commitment to the allocation of €10 million and his commitment to make sure one of these facilities will be based in Louth. Further to that, it is most important that with the age profile of families and the growing numbers who will need these services that we continue to enhance them in the years to come. With that in mind, the issue of the funding of the St. John of God in Drumcar, which came to almost €32 million, needs to be examined in terms of whether we are getting value for money in delivering those services. I will speak on that matter later. I thank and commend the Minister of State for bringing some respite to a very difficult situation in Louth.

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