Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank him for his presentation. I agree with Deputy Kelleher's point and while it does not relate directly to the regulation, and while it is always very important that regulations are properly scrutinised and implemented, an issue has been brought to our attention by the Irish Association of Physical Therapists. It is concerned that physical therapists do not come under the new regulations and new criteria relating to physiotherapists. The association has looked for an opportunity to give a short presentation to this committee. There are more than 300 physical therapists in the country who believe they would be outside the regulation which would cause some problems for them. They are anxious to be regulated and they have genuine concerns about their involvement in future and the way the matter is being dealt with. They want to work with physiotherapists, GPs and the HSE in every way possible, but to do that they need to be included in the process.