Seanad debates

Wednesday, 23 November 2005

Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages.

 

12:00 pm

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

On the issue raised by Senators Kett and Feeney in regard to rehabilitation engineers, I am not aware it has been raised in any discussions I have had on the Bill in either House. That does not matter, however, as the legislation can accommodate more professions than are currently included. It was agreed that only 12 professionals should be included because they were better organised than many other professions.

As regards the timeframe for the inclusion of other professions, I am interested in those professions that are necessary to be registered and in cases where there can be agreement among the professions themselves. In the mental health area, for example, there is a major requirement for counsellors and psychotherapists. The reason they are not included in this Bill is that we cannot get agreement on basic criteria for registration, expertise, qualifications and competence. In all these areas, there must be a baseline agreement in regard to the competence of the profession. As I have told counsellors, psychotherapists and others, they should try to determine a baseline qualification. It may already be there. They may be prepared to work with us in respect of forming a registration board. Some but not all of these groups have registration bodies of their own.

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