Vol. 515 No. 1
167 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of chiropractors registered to practice; the qualifications, if any, the practitioners hold; if he will give details of the accrediting agency; the licensing, if any, which applies to chiropractors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5449/00]
In Ireland, chiropractice is included under the umbrella title complementary-alternative medicine. The position in relation to complementary and alternative medicine is that it is not regulated by statute and there are no proposals to regulate it at present. Chiropractitioners, in common with all other practitioners who fall within the comp lementary and alternative medicine category, are not employed within the public health system and consequently the Department of Health and Children does not collect statistics on the numbers practising or maintain information on bodies which represent or regulate them.
The European Parliament has been considering the issue of complementary and alternative medicine for a number of years. In May 1997, a resolution on the subject was passed by the Parliament calling on the European Commission to launch a process of recognising non-conventional medicines and to carry out a study into the safety and effectiveness of such medicines and practices. It would appear practical to await the proposals from the commission, which will give guidance on how such therapies should be regulated.
It is acknowledged that it is desirable to afford some protection to members of the public who wish to avail of such therapies. It is my Department's policy to encourage the various therapies to establish their own regulatory structures and to develop mechanisms to inform the public about the availability of services from reputable practitioners. The legal position of practitioners of complementary-alternative medicine is that their dealings with their clients are regulated by civil law.
168 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of practitioners of alternative medicines practising; the qualifications, if any, these practitioners hold; the licensing, if any, which applies to these practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5450/00]
Practitioners who fall within the complementary and alternative medicine category are not employed within the public health system and consequently the Department of Health and Children does not collect statistics on the numbers practising or maintain information on bodies which represent or regulate them.
The European Parliament has been considering the issue of complementary and alternative medicine for a number of years. In May 1997, a resolution on the subject was passed by the parliament calling on the European Commission to launch a process of recognising non-conventional medicines and to carry out a study into the safety and effectiveness of such medicines and practices. It would appear practical to await the proposals from the commission, which will give guidance on how such therapies should be regulated. It is acknowledged that it is desirable to afford some protection to members of the public who wish to avail of such therapies.
