Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I told the journalist that I was too busy to make plans at present and would wait until the Dáil was in recess before making any arrangements, but that I would be staying at home. I am always happy to stay at home. I have no problem with going abroad but as many of us as possible should stay at home and enjoy the countryside and I am happy to do that.

The titles of the various professions referred to in the Bill will be protected and it will be an offence for a person who is unregistered to offer professional services to the public. I have already listed the organisations that are involved in that regard. Other colleagues have referred to the conflicting — I hope that word is not offensive — correspondence we have received from the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and the Institute of Physical Therapy. Both organisations made their case strongly and their respective positions are now a matter of record among Members. To a great extent, it is incumbent on both organisations to make their case and to explain their views regarding the divisions between them. I will not necessarily put all of the documents on record, but it is important the Minister of State is aware in the context of this debate that Deputies are in receipt of a great deal of correspondence on this matter. Perhaps the Minister of State could note that point and provide us with some advice on the matter when he is summing up at the end of this debate.

Many people will ask why particular legislation is being introduced but the case has been well made regarding this Bill. I have spoken to many people in my constituency who have said that they are happy that a regulatory system for these professionals has come to fruition, even if it is a little overdue. The important and positive point is that the legislation is now before us and the matter is being dealt with.

Moves to introduce legislation to provide for the registration of certain health and social services professions have, according to the Department of Health and Children, been under consideration for a significant period. The Department has explained that, for various reasons, it has not been possible to proceed with legislation in the past. There are several pressing reasons such legislation should now be introduced. There are legitimate and genuine concerns among members of the public who need to be guided and protected so that they are confident that the professionals providing services are competent and qualified.

The professional bodies have made the point in all their representations that they require protection where normal operational procedures and ethical factors make it impossible to exclude those who are unqualified or insufficiently qualified from engaging in professional activity. Among other reasons, this is because the professional bodies can only apply an ethical code to their own members. The good name and reputation of the majority can be damaged by the actions of a small minority that bring the profession into disrepute, unless there is a mechanism for sanctioning professional misconduct and misdemeanour.

A proper system of registration can allow for the investigation of allegations of incompetence or misconduct and enable disciplinary action to be taken. It can also provide a mechanism whereby practitioners who are compromised by ill-health or addiction can be dealt with appropriately and that is something which would be generally welcomed.

Registration provides a legislative framework for the evaluation and approval of education and training courses, examinations, qualifications and institutions. This guarantees the proper development of education and training across the professions and some professions are already discharging these functions.

Registration also provides a more widely informed and participative forum for the administration and implementation of the EU directives on the mutual recognition of third level qualifications in EU member states. It will also lead to greater consistency in the application of those directives. Voluntary codes of registration, while very useful in themselves, cannot by definition offer the legal protection afforded by a system of statutory registration. There must be a strong commitment to deliver the best possible service to patients and clients. This must be the primary concern of all when developing a system of registration for health and social care professionals in the State.

The proposal is for a system of statutory self-registration for social care professionals and the other 12 health and social professions involved. The regime would provide a formal legal framework and administrative infrastructure within which the quality of the services provided to the public and the future development of the professions can be assured.

The regulatory system will comprise a registration board for each profession to be registered, a health and social care professionals council with overall responsibility for the system and three statutory committees to deal with disciplinary matters. A chief executive officer and staff will administer the system. To ensure consistency across the registration boards, the chief executive officer will act as a registrar for each registration board.

This House has dealt with many interesting and important issues over the past months and it would be unfair to single out one Bill. However, in this Dáil term the Department of Health and Children has been to the forefront in a number of major debates on legislation. Like everyone else, the Department will be glad to pause and draw breath in the summer recess. I wish the Tánaiste, the Ministers of State and the departmental officials well. It has been a somewhat difficult time during which they have dealt with different issues. They provide a public service and they have the public's confidence in that regard.

There will be other occasions when I will talk about the needs of Tallaght and Tallaght Hospital. I will certainly talk more about child care issues in my constituency. I am always happy to invite and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to my constituency. I hope he will take every opportunity to come.

I will support this important legislation. The professions concerned regard it as a ground breaking Bill. As Senator Ormonde has often stated, one must look after the public and continue to give the public what it wants. This Bill will regulate various professions and services provided to the public on a daily basis and as such will be welcomed.

I take this opportunity to wish the Ceann Comhairle and the staff of the House well and hope they have a good summer.

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