Rehab race has 'brilliant result'

The Rehab Great Investment Race has helped to fund new autism services for more than 180 families in its first three years of operation, race participants heard at an awards ceremony last week.

Rehab chairman, Joe Treacy, said the seven players in this year's race, who together raised €153,000 by investing a donation of €700,000, had produced a "brilliant result" for the charity.

The contestants - AIB Investment Managers, Bank of Ireland Asset Management, Hibernian Investment Managers, Irish Life Investment Managers, Montgomery Oppenheim, Setanta Asset Management, and Standard Life - were told that their efforts had helped to pay for a number of new initiatives at Rehab.

Since the race started to raise funds, Rehab has been able to provide respite for more than 160 families affected by autism, as well as providing after-school services and daycare for many others.

This year's race was won by Chris Reilly at Bank of Ireland Asset Management, who raised almost €50,000 on an initial €100,000 investment. Most of Mr Reilly's gains came from a holding in Pfizer and an associated dollar play.

Mr Reilly said that while the players all manage money on a commercial basis, it was gratifying to get such a positive return for a charity.

Presenting awards to the contestants, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney congratulated Rehab on devising a "very innovative" way of raising money. She joked that the extent of this year's return was so high that it had risen "almost like spending in the Department of Health".