Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House and welcome this long overdue Bill, which has been spoken of for many years. It is good to have some sort of proper regulation. It is also an issue of public confidence and it is important we assure the public those involved in these professions and disciplines are qualified and capable of treating people. I welcome the establishment of the council and the registration boards for the various disciplines.

Other Members have alluded to the danger of self-regulation. We must monitor this situation regularly to ensure there is no over-regulation. There is also a danger in terms of competition. There is a need for competition in every discipline. We must have a complaints and mediation procedure. There is also the issue of appeals to the High Court in the event of people not agreeing with the complaints or mediation procedures.

There is no need for university degrees for some of the positions within the health service, many of which require caring people with experience. They should not be barred from entering these professions.

On the Order of Business I often raised the issue of cowboys, as I call them, who advertise cures for cancer. Most other speakers have mentioned such people within the medical profession. Under the terms of the Bill, sufficient procedures are now in place to tackle these cowboys. However, I am worried about those outside the medical profession who advertise these cures. When regulation is in place to tackle people within the medical profession, we will be able to come down harder on those outside. It is despicable to give people hope where there is none. Some of these cures have been proven, in some instances, to be nothing more than water. People will go anywhere if they think they can find a cure for their illness. We should come down heavily on those outside the medical profession. Such measures may not come under the remit of this Bill, but it will give us greater powers to strongly tackle such people.

The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists is worried about duplication with regard to physical therapists and physiotherapists. Internationally, these titles are synonymous and interchangeable, and the professional qualification requirements are the same. This is recognised in the 92 countries which are members of the world organisation of physiotherapists. Almost every speaker has referred to the matter, and it must be addressed on Committee or Report Stage. When people visit a physical therapist and then go to claim back money from BUPA or the VHI, they find they are not eligible for reimbursement. This should be dealt with now rather than later. I know the Minister of State, together with the Minister, will look at the situation and come back with amendments to address it.

I commend the Minister of State and his officials for bringing the Bill to the House. It is long overdue, and we will do everything possible to ensure its passage and to improve it on Committee and Report Stages.