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Health and Social Care Professionals Registration Fee

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 November 2013

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Questions (431)

Pat Deering

Question:

431. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health the reason there is a 16 to 20 week delay in registration with CORU, the umbrella body for the statutory regulation of health and social care professionals; the steps he is taking to reduce this to a more practical period in view of the fact that graduates cannot get a job interview without being registered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47808/13]

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Written answers

The Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the 12 registration boards (known collectively as CORU) to be established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 are responsible for protecting the public by regulating health and social care professionals.

The first registration board to be established, the Social Workers Registration Board, was appointed in August 2010, and the associated Social Workers Register opened for receipt and processing of applications for registration on 31st May, 2011.

Under the provisions of the 2005 Act, there is a two-year transitional period from the date on which the register of the members of that profession is established, during which existing practitioners may apply for registration. This transitional period closed on the 31 May 2013.Thereafter, any social worker wishing to use the title is required to be registered.

The registration process requires that graduates, new entrants to the profession in Ireland or those who have been practising abroad hold approved qualifications, complete their application form, provide their supporting documentation and demonstrate they are fit and proper to practise the profession.

The verification process is thorough so as to ensure that the necessary checks are carried out on each application, ultimately ensuring that the public can have confidence that the professional providing the service to them is properly qualified, competent and of good standing. It is, by necessity, a detailed engagement that includes Garda vetting, a process which can take up to 12 weeks but is again considered necessary to satisfy the Registration Board that all applicants meet the criteria for registration.

It should be noted, that in the case of Social Worker registration, even though existing practitioners had a two year period during which to register, May 2011 to May 2013, the majority of Social Workers chose to register in late May 2013. This, along with incomplete documentation provided by many applicants has meant that the average processing period is currently 16-20 weeks.

I am advised that any applicant who is concerned around employment opportunities should make contact with CORU directly. These applications are being prioritised.

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