88 Ms M. McGennis asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of registered drug abusers in the Cherry Orchard area who are awaiting and receiving treatment; the facilities, if any, being provided in the Cherry Orchard Family Centre; and the reason for the delay in having this centre fully operational. [3790/00]

The provision of drug treatment services in the Cherry Orchard area is a matter for the Eastern Health Board in the first instance. There is no register of drug abusers in any health board area.

The health board provides a broad range of services to clients at the Aisling Addiction Centre in Ballyfermot. The number of people attending at Aisling from the Ballyfermot-Cherry Orchard area is 157. At present there are eight people from Ballyfermot on the waiting list for treatment. A number of people from Inchicore and Clondalkin attend the centre in Ballyfermot and it is intended to provide locally based services in Inchicore and Clondalkin in the near future thereby significantly alleviating the waiting list in the Aisling clinic.

Fortune House in Ballyfermot also provides a 12 week detox programme as well as a specialised young person's programme. At present 33 people from Ballyfermot attend these programmes. There is currently a waiting list of three people from the Ballyfermot area and they will commence treatment shortly.

The board's education officer also provides a number of educational and prevention initiatives in the Ballyfermot area and works closely with schools and community groups in the area. The board also works in conjunction with the Ballyfermot task force in a number of locally based initiatives.