The role of the regional task forces will be to research, develop and implement a co-ordinated response to drug misuse. The partnership approach that will be used will involve the statutory, voluntary and community sectors. The regional drugs task forces will assess the nature and extent of drug misuse in their areas, provide information on drug-related services, identify and address gaps in service provision with regard to the available evidence on the extent and specific location of drug misuse in the region and prepare action plans to respond to regional drugs problems. I am glad that virtually all the task forces are up and running and are meeting regularly. When I met representatives of a number of the forces in Portlaoise recently, they seemed to be quite happy with the progress being made. As a first step in the development of action plans, the task forces are mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas and the level and range of existing services. Good work is being done in that regard.