Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
1090. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the meeting he has had with representatives of the physiotherapy and physical therapy represented organisations regarding the Health and Social Care Professions (Amendment) Bill 2017; the progress he has made in advancing the Bill since Committee Stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37828/17]
View answerThe Health and Social Care Professions (Amendment) Bill 2017 passed Committee stage in Dáil Éireann on 11 July without amendment.
In the course of the Committee Stage debate I indicated that my Department would, in advance of Report Stage, engage further with the two professional bodies involved, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the Irish Association of Physical Therapists on the areas of concern to them. These relate to the designated professions’ codes of professional conduct and ethics and the proposed assessment of professional competence to be set for existing users of the title of physical therapist who do not hold the specified professional qualifications. These concerns had prompted a number of proposed amendments to the Bill at Committee Stage. While unable to accept these amendments I undertook to look at the possibility of addressing the concerns of both professional bodies in Ministerial amendments that could be tabled at the Bill’s Report Stage.
My Department's officials have since met with and corresponded with representatives of the two professional bodies on the matter and I am pleased to report that I expect to be in a position to table amendments to the Bill at Report Stage in the forthcoming Dáil session.
