Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
544. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the process used by his Department in the past of bringing different bodies under CORU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12361/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the public consultation process the Deputy refers to. At my request, the Department engaged in a formal consultation process in September 2016 in which interested persons and organisations were invited to formally submit their views on how the statutory regulation of the counsellors and psychotherapists should proceed. A total of 80 submissions were received by the closing date of 30 November 2016.
Having considered the submissions and taken into account the advice of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, I decided for the purpose of regulation to proceed with the designation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, of two distinct professions, counsellor and psychotherapist, each with its own register, under one registration board.
The draft Regulations to designate the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 and to establish a registration board for the professions have, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, been laid before each House of the Oireachtas. Resolutions approving the drafts have been submitted to each House and these will be considered by both Houses next week. The Joint Committee on Health met on 7 March to discuss the resolutions; no objections to the proposed regulations were raised at that time.
Subject to the approval by the Houses of these regulations later this month, the next step will be the appointment of the 13 members of the registration board following the submission of suitable candidates for my consideration by the Public Appointments Service. I hope that the registration board will be in a position later this year to begin the task of drafting the various bye-laws to allow it to establish its registers.
The registration board will also be requested to advise the Council and the Minister, where appropriate under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, on a range of issues pertaining to the regulation of the professions including minimum standards of education and training, titles to be protected and minimum grandfathering qualifications for existing practitioners.
