Mr. James Cosgrave:

There was a question on the training requirements the Department has set out. In this case, the Department has not set out training requirements for us at all. The training requirements are set out in the EURATOM directive to be transposed. The European Commission published guidelines on what exactly chiropractors had to do and what level of training was required in 2014. Curiously, these guidelines were prepared by the European Society of Radiology, of which the Irish Faculty of Radiologists is a member society. The guidelines clearly state requirements for chiropractors referring for, justifying and delivering radiography procedures. At no point have we been looking for a free pass on anything where regulation is concerned. We are asking to be regulated as required. We want our members to be held accountable. If the Department is willing to present us requests to sign up to obligations, we are willing to meet those requests. To date, we have not been given any specific feedback from the Department on what might assist but we remain very willing to engage. We would be exceptionally happy to be held accountable and to employ whatever criteria are required under the new regulations. We absolutely sign up to the idea of audit, minimum standards for training and the most exceptionally high levels of patient safety. We are in full agreement with the thrust of the regulations. What we are not in agreement with is the fact that chiropractors have been left outside the remit. They are not being regulated. Their use of X-rays is being prohibited and we cannot really come to terms with that.

The interpretation of the same directive in the UK recognises me as competent to be a referrer and a prescriber but in Ireland, that will not be the case. This involves the same directive and the same training and involves the same European guidelines. However, there is a very different interpretation in Ireland, one which is based on defined professions as opposed to competencies.

We have submitted a proposal to the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, which will allow him to regulate us within the regulations. It would provide a very simple measure which would allow this to be resolved promptly. In due course, perhaps regulation under CORU and the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 will provide a more comprehensive resolution for this. We have not had any feedback to date on what information to bring to the table. We have offered information on our undergraduate training and continuous professional development but to date there has been radio silence. We are not getting any feedback from the Department on our request . It has not been a "No" and it has not been a "Yes".