Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
292. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health what progress has been made to date between his Department and an organisation (details supplied) regarding its request for the inclusion of certified athletic therapists in the CORU regulation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15871/23]
View answer293. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if consideration would be given to the inclusion of certified athletic therapists in the CORU regulation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15872/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 293 together.
As the Deputy may be aware, CORU is Ireland’s multi-profession health and social care regulator. Seventeen health and social care professions are designated for regulation by CORU under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. There are currently registers open for ten professions and CORU is continuing the substantial work required to open the registers for the remaining professions.
A number of representative bodies for unregulated professions have approached the Department seeking to be regulated. The issues to be considered regarding the proportionate degree of regulatory force required to protect the public are complex. In light of the various issues to be considered, and in line with ongoing work in the Department of Health, the Health Research Board was requested to carry out research on behalf of the Department to assist in policy development in this area. The report, “National Approaches to Regulating Health and Social Care Professions”, examines the approaches to the regulation of health and social care professionals internationally and is publicly available on the Department’s website (www.gov.ie/en/publication/ea62b-national-approaches-to-regulating-health-and-social-care-professions/ ).
My officials are in the process of drawing from this report and other relevant sources to develop a framework to guide policy on the regulation of health and social care professionals into the future. This framework will be informed by an evidence and risk-based approach to regulation in line with requirements set out in the EU Proportionality Test Directive, which was transposed into Irish law on 19 August 2022 (S.I. No. 413/2022). Further information on the Proportionality Test Directive can be found here: single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/news/services-directive-handbookproportionality-test-directive-guidance-2022-12-22_en
My officials met with representatives of the professional body for athletic therapy on 15 February 2023 to discuss their concerns around regulation and to provide an update on the Department’s plans to develop a future policy framework.
