Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. However, it is a disappointing reply as it does not address the fundamental issue at hand, which is that we have a waiting list for entry into Fellowship House. I know the national drugs strategy does not fall under the remit of the Minister of State's Department but his reply makes a mockery of the press statement issued by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, on the new national drugs strategy and funding the expansion of the Cork drug treatment programme. It makes a complete laugh of the HSE's press release on a major initiative in the HSE South's addiction services and it tells the Minister of State, Deputy Curran, that the national drugs strategy is flawed.

I appreciate we are in stringent economic times but 96% of people admitted to Fellowship House are unemployed and homeless. This is an opportunity to take a real initiative on behalf of the most vulnerable in society and give them an opportunity to restart their lives. It is a chance to change and we have missed it again tonight. I am not hopeful about the response. I take the Minister of State's bona fides in the matter and I ask him whether he has any words of hope for the people of Cork. Is there any way to see light at the end of the tunnel? This is a very important project. If we are serious about the national drugs strategy we need to deal with the pillar of rehabilitation and we are failing to do so. With this project we can drive the strategy forward in a positive manner with positive outcomes and success stories where people are restarting and rebuilding their lives.