Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the national drugs strategy and his views on achievements to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38662/14] 

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch): The National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 is a cross cutting area of public policy and service delivery. It is based on a co-ordinated approach across many Government Departments and Agencies in conjunction with the Community and Voluntary sectors and I intend that this approach will continue. 

The overall objective of the Strategy is to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. Periodic reviews of progress across the pillars of the Strategy are carried out through the Oversight Forum on Drugs which I chair. A progress report is prepared each year and the latest report for 2013 is available on my Department’s website. My Department are starting work on developing the Strategy so that it can meet the challenges into the future.