Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to discuss the motion. I will deal with one element, namely, that the safety and quality of patient care must be a primary focus, with timeliness being a crucial component of quality care. I fully agree with that. In the short time available, I will discuss regulating the area of psychotherapy and counselling. As the Minister knows, I spoke with him about this matter at the health committee meeting on 20 October. Earlier today, I spent a full hour with a person who has had serious difficulties with a psychotherapist. We regularly hear from people like Bodywhys, the eating disorders association of Ireland, that there are serious difficulties in this area. It is ten years since the then Minister promised there would be regulation of the sector as quickly as possible under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. I know the Minister obtained a report from CORU, the regulating advisers, about this in March this year. There will be further soundings and we will hear more at the end of this year or early next year. There is disagreement among bodies in some respects.

Patient care is a key issue. It is not acceptable that somebody may achieve an advanced diploma on suicide in the course of six weekends or that someone else may obtain a diploma on eating disorders, which is a highly complex area both in psychiatric and physical terms, over eight weekends. I take this opportunity to highlight the urgency required after ten years to bring about regulation.

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