Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Drugs are one aspect of the sub-committee's work. Meetings are held regularly to discuss only the drugs issue because it is a major problem. We discuss drugs in the community, drugs in the broadest sense that are creating difficulties for individuals, the drugs strategy and everything related to it. However, the office of social inclusion under the aegis of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs has a broad remit. The Cabinet sub-committee also deals with education issues, difficulties in rural communities and environmental, health and children's issues. These issues have nothing to do with drugs and, therefore, the sub-committee's remit is broader than just the drugs issue. The sub-committee regularly dedicates itself to an issue or two. That is why so many Ministers are involved and that is why, therefore, questions are relevant to the line Ministers.

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