Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and welcome the positive comments he has made regarding the consideration of the ICHP in the context of those criteria. I appreciate there is much work involved in trying to establish bodies for the initial 12 professions, but we must consider the public interest and the issue of public safety. The criteria outlined by the Minister are laudable, but I have one further suggestion which the Minister of State might pass on to his colleague. Where any professional body is considered in the context of these criteria and is found either not to meet the criteria or not to be in compliance with them and therefore to be ineligible for registration, the Department should make this known to the public. Members of the public would thereby be encouraged not to access the services of such an organisation. There is a real issue of public safety with regard to some of the therapies and interventions offered by people who are not registered and are not in continuous professional development.