Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 299: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he can offer assistance from the dormant account fund to groups offering rehabilitation or assistance in the fight against drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23203/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Decisions on the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts monies are currently a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. Disbursements from the fund are designed to assist three broad categories of persons, namely, those who are socially or economically disadvantaged, those who are educationally disadvantaged and persons with a disability. Allocations made by the board must be in accordance with its disbursement plan which was approved by me in September 2003. Under the plan, the bulk of dormant accounts funding is initially being targeted at those areas designated as most disadvantaged, that is RAPID, CLÁR and drugs task force areas.

The board engaged Area Development Management Limited to administer this initial round of funding on its behalf, which involves the disbursement of up to €60 million from the fund. The board has, to date, approved 482 projects for funding totalling approximately €56.2 million, from the initial allocation of €60 million. In the region of €17 million of this approved amount is in respect of proposals within drugs task force areas, of which €2.3 million is specifically for projects to provide assistance in the fight against drugs.