Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, have concerns about the two issues raised by Deputy Dowds, although I will try not to repeat what he has said. I would welcome the Minister's opinion on the following matter. Where under the registration requirement, a person who is qualified as a social worker, speech and language therapist etc., but who may be working as a youth worker rather than a social worker and so on, how will this impact on his or her registration? Much of this morning's conversation, which I welcome, has been around how we protect users, which is very admirable and how it should be. However, we also have a responsibility to ensure the professionals are not downgraded. For example, how will this impact on a person who has been a Member of the Dáil for, say, four or five years who was previously a registered social worker or speech and language therapist? How can we ensure it is possible for such person to re-register? The emphasis on registration is not alone about protection but about the ongoing professional development of the various disciplines to ensure they can meet the needs of and produce the best outcomes for the people who come before them.

In regard to language competence, communication is an integral part of how we engage with people across so many disciplines. I am concerned about how the legislation proposes to address that issue.