Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill and thank Senator Henry for allowing me to spend a few minutes discussing a specific issue. As the Senator pointed out, the legislation is long overdue. I recall that in the 1960s anybody could use the title of chemist. I am not sure when legislation changed the position. In the 1980s, while chatting to an architect about qualifications, I discovered that anyone could place an architect's sign on his or her door.

We must ensure that the qualifications of health care professionals, in particular, are regulated. The contributions of Senators Browne and Henry reminded me of the difficulties we face in this area. One of the 12 professions referred to in the Bill is physiotherapy. I, too, have been contacted by the Institute of Chartered Physiotherapists regarding its difficulty with the title of physical therapist — I often use the word "terrorist" in place of "therapist".