Seán Conlan (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to share time with Deputies Paul Connaughton, Peter Fitzpatrick and Mary Mitchell O'Connor.

The Bill is an important legislative instrument, as it seeks to advance the establishment of the State regulatory scheme for professionals, which will regulate the registration of the various professions delivering services within our health system. The delivery of this registration process is central to ensuring those providing services under various professional banners are qualified to do so; the provision of their services is regulated by an appropriate authority, adequately equipped to ensure the patient receives a professional service and delivered by a person appropriately qualified to do so; and the delivery of that service is regulated by a reputable authority, which has the power to enquire into, and adjudicate on, contentious issues arising from the delivery of the service.

A total of 12 health and social care professions are designated under the original Act but only two have established registration boards and this is causing a delay in the delivery of this system, which seeks to safeguard the delivery of professional services from the targeted areas to the patient. This scenario cannot be allowed to prevail and, accordingly, we must ensure this legislation, which empowers the Minister to make the necessary appointments required to bring effect to the system, is passed in the interest of delivering a safe and efficient care to the patients involved.

Registration with whichever of these 12 boards is applicable to the profession they intend to practice is required before the professional persons can use the relevant title and the original Act provided for the establishment of the Health and Social Care Professional Council, which would implement the Act and bear overall responsibility for regulation. The problem has arisen whereby the Minister for Health has no provision to fill vacancies that have arisen in the remaining ten disciplines for which boards have not been established. This is causing the system to stall and it is essential that this legislation be put in place and that there is no further delay in the implementation of this process, as the adequate registration of professionals and the establishment of a regulatory authority authorised to examine the qualifications of professionals offering their services and capable of ensuring those practising are qualified to do so is essential to the confidence of the public in the services offered.

We are becoming a more cosmopolitan society and, with the influx of people from other jurisdictions, it is imperative that we have this process in place in order that professional people who present themselves and offer their services can be appropriately adjudicated regarding their qualifications and their fitness to practise. The Bill addresses the requirements of the professional's qualifications directive, Directive 205/36/EC, establishing rules for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications between EU member states and also provides for the recognition of qualifications obtained outside the EU. This is such an important area that I fail to understand how the original legislation, which resulted in the appointment of the first council in 2007, still remains in limbo in 2012. That is a gap of seven years and this reflects either complacency on behalf of those charged with the implementation of the legislation or an unwillingness on their behalf to implement it. Whichever is the case, any further delay must not be tolerated and I commend the Minister on pushing ahead with this Bill to break the logjam. I urge him to proceed speedily with the establishment of the registration and regulatory authorities provided for in the Bill and ensure that, on this occasion, those involved are not afforded the opportunity to frustrate the implementation of this system and that the safety of the patients is placed before professional sensitivities.

I have no doubt whatsoever that is what the Minister will do because bringing change to a health service that had become dysfunctional and incapable of delivering the service the public wants is a task that was bravely accepted and undertaken by him and he is actively engaged in it. I am becoming weary of listening to those on the Opposition benches complaining every step of the way. These departmental cuts were coming regardless of who occupied the ministerial chair because those on the Opposition benches, who are complaining, left the till open and let everybody help themselves. They blew the money like drunken sailors and left their mess for the Minister to clean up.

Why was this legislation, which was passed in 2005, not brought into effect until the Minister came along? Why is it necessary to introduce a new Bill in order that he be authorised to appoint new members to the ten professions that failed to adhere to the legislation? It was not given effect because the Government that introduced the legislation comprised the same people who are attacking the Minister at every opportunity and who had a blueprint for dealing with the introduction of difficult or unpopular procedures. That blueprint was to ignore them and to let those adversely affected by them ignore them. That appears to be the only reason ten of the 12 identified professions failed to form registration boards. They were simply allowed the indulgence of proceeding on their merry way, totally ignoring the 2005 legislation. The then Minister did absolutely nothing about it. That way of governing has no place in a modern democracy and the Government and the Minister of Health will take the difficult path - the path which wins few friends - that will deliver the change so badly needed in the way we deliver health care to those relying on us.

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