Regulations to designate the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 were approved by both houses of the Oireachtas on 22 March 2018. I am pleased to advise that I have since signed the regulations, which will come into force on 2 July 2018.
Work is now underway to appoint the 13 member registration board which will regulate the professions. The Public Appointments Service will undertake an advertisement campaign later this month inviting suitably qualified and experienced persons to apply for lay and professional positions on the board.
It is envisaged that CORU will arrange for the board to hold its first meeting later this year and begin the substantial programme of work required to establish its registers. This includes advising the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and me as Minister on such outstanding issues as titles to be protected by regulation, the qualifications that ought to be required of existing practitioners in order to register and the making of associated bye-laws. When the registers are opened, a two year transitional period will commence during which time existing practitioners can apply for registration. When this transitional period expires, both titles will be protected under the Act for the exclusive use of professionals registered with the Counsellor and Psychotherapist Registration Board.
Following the result of the referendum on the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, held on 25 May 2018, the Department of Health is working the with Office of the Attorney General to progress the drafting of a Bill to Regulate the Termination of Pregnancy.
