Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their contributions and note the broad support for this Bill. I also thank the officials from the Department of Health who have done excellent work on this legislation. As I indicated earlier, the main purpose of this mainly technical Bill is to address identified gaps in the provisions relating to the appointment of professional members to CORU and registration boards and to permit a registration board to apply conditions relating to training, education and experience to applicants for registration who have not yet practised their profession. The third aim of the Bill is to provide further conditions for registration in a register of physiotherapists in advance of making regulations to protect the title of physical therapist.

I thank the Senators for all their constructive contributions during the debate. I will respond briefly to a few points. Issues raised during this debate will inform preparations for Committee Stage. A number of Senators raised the issue of athletic rehabilitation therapists. I know the Minister and his officials have met with athletic rehabilitation therapists on a number of previous occasions. The Minister's position is that while he acknowledges the quality of the DCU honours degree-level education and training which specialises in musculoskeletal therapy in the sports sector, athletic rehabilitation therapists constitute a separate profession to that of physiotherapist and physical therapists. Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland, ARTI, does not use the title, and is not seeking to practice under the title of physical therapist. There is no risk of confusion in the public mind regarding the services of those practising under the title of athletic rehabilitation therapist. The Minister has assured ARTI on a number of occasions that once work concludes in late 2018 approximately on the regulation of the professions currently designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, CORU will be requested to undertake a risk assessment on a number of other professions seeking regulation by CORU, including athletic rehabilitation therapists, and to make recommendations to him in this regard so that issue will be dealt with.

I thank Senators for their contributions to Second Stage and look forward to constructive examination of the Bill on Committee Stage. I commend this Bill to the House.