In April 2002 my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, established the task force on assaults on psychiatric nurses at work in response to a demand by nurses' unions for a comprehensive compensation scheme for nurses injured as a result of assault at work. The terms of reference of the task force are: to examine the incidence of assaults on nurses and the level of injury arising therefrom, to investigate the reasons for such assaults with a view to designing programmes aimed at prevention and to put forward proposals for an appropriate compensation scheme for nurses injured through assault at work with regard to the special position of psychiatric nurses. The task force is concluding its work and expected to report to the Minister in the near future. It is envisaged that it will, inter alia, make recommendations on risk assessment and preventive measures, including training and educational programmes for staff dealing with violence and aggression.