The Rehab Group will use the funds raised from its Great Investment Race to help build a facility in Cork like the Dun Laoghaire-based National Rehabilitation Hospital. The hospital provides medical rehabilitation services for those who sustain severe, non-progressive neurological trauma arising from spinal injury, brain injury, stroke or limb amputation. It is the only one of its type in the State and the queues for admission have been getting longer in recent years.

A proposal from RehabCare, the group's health and social care company, to build and manage a second such hospital in Cork has been accepted by the Government. However, the project will cost £35 million (€44 million), with £5 million to be provided by RehabCare. Annual operating costs will be around £12 million. The hospital is expected to be operational in 2003.

"The Cork hospital is the Rehab Group's current flagship project and it will provide an obvious fundraising challenge over the years ahead," the group said.

Rehab will also use the proceeds of the competition to fund a number of other services in new locations. The organisation wants to develop new residential respite care centres for people with autism, learning disabilities and terminal illness in Tipperary and Clare. Three more are planned for the midlands.

"In providing these services, the emphasis is on preventing institutionalisation and allowing people to live within their own community," Rehab says.

Finally, the group has plans to expand its current network of seven resource centres, which help those with significant disabilities acquire new skills, including literacy, numeracy and money-management skills, and to live in everyday settings.