The Matt Talbot Services announced the closure of the Cara Lodge in Ahiohill, Clonakilty last week with the loss of 27 jobs in west Cork. As well as the loss of these jobs, a much-needed service for young people in west Cork will close. We have never had such a high incidence of mental health issues and substance abuse among our young people and there has never been such a need for this kind of treatment centre. One would never hear of a methadone clinic being closed in Dublin as it would cause massive problems on the streets. Similarly, the closure of Cara Lodge will have a knock on effect and I guarantee the calamity of suicide will increase. That is my worry.

To the best of my knowledge the Taoiseach opened the centre many years ago. I ask him now to intervene to prevent its closure and get the HSE to release the funds to save the service and the 27 jobs.

I did not just open it, as Minister for Health I made sure it happened and I worked with the people involved. The Deputy wrote to me and I read the letter last evening, but the reasons for the closure were not spelled out. I would like to engage with the Deputy on that. The original idea was that it was to be an addiction centre. Traditionally health authorities are against residential-type addiction centres. This centre was originally developed by the Matt Talbot centre which has a non-methadone addiction service. They believe in a different methodology to help people with addiction, and this is meant for very young people in particular, to take them out of very difficult environments to give them a chance and opportunity. I confess that I need to be briefed on the current rationale for its closure. I intend to get the HSE's side of the story.