Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to address the Seanad in my capacity as Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy and update it on the progress made in implementing the strategy which was launched almost two years ago and for which my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating its implementation. While it is set to run until 2008, I am pleased that much progress has been made since it was launched.