Mary Henry (Independent)

This House considered aspects of the issue regarding EU nationals who would get qualifications outside the European Union, but I am glad to see that we left something for the Dáil to do. These are important amendments.

I wish to mention one of my disappointments with the Bill. I understand the way it was decided to protect just one name only for each profession and I want to return to that of physiotherapist and the problem arising with physiotherapist and physical therapist. While we are correctly bringing in these other EU qualifications, the Minister of State will be aware that the United Kingdom legislation protects physical therapist with physiotherapist. Therefore, there is some conflict in this section. There is protection for titles being given but at the same time there is no protection of physical therapists in Schedule 3 and earlier in the Bill.

As the Minister of State will be aware, the chartered physiotherapists have stated for years that our legislation should protect the title "physical therapist" with "physiotherapist" because of the occasional confusion that can arise here on this issue and I am sorry that this has not happened. I fear we may run into trouble in these sections where the term "physical therapist" may be used to describe someone who we would call a physiotherapist and to acquire those qualifications.

Apart from that, I welcome the changes the Minister of State has made here. In view of the fact that the Belfast Agreement stated that we should try to ensure that the various qualifications in all parts of the island are in line with each other, I regret the fact that in this instance we will provide for a situation where in Northern Ireland physical therapist and physiotherapist are protected and in the Republic of Ireland only physiotherapist will be protected. I was one of those enthusiastic about the fact that we, particularly in the medical area, should try to get as much agreement as possible within the legislation.