John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied that persons practising psychotherapy are regulated effectively in order to ensure patient-client protection; if regulatory provisions are inadequate, the measures she proposes to ensure that persons practising psychotherapy are regulated thus preventing maltreatment and abuse of power and the undermining of professional psychotherapists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43814/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the practice of conventional medicine and healthcare in this country is controlled and regulated. However, the practice of other disciplines of healthcare, including psychotherapy, have not been subject to the same level of oversight. Standards of education, professional qualifications and experience required are not as well established and the level of qualification and length of training among practitioners can vary.

The Health and Social Care Professionals Act was passed by the Oireachtas in 2005. This Act provides for the establishment of a system of statutory registration for 12 health and social care professionals as follows:

Clinical Biochemists;

Dieticians;

Medical Scientists;

Occupational Therapists;

Orthopaedists;

Physiotherapists;

Podiatrists;

Psychologists;

Radiographers

Social Care Workers;

Social Workers; and

Speech and Language Therapists.

The system of statutory registration will apply to the twelve professions regardless of whether they work in the public or private sector or are self-employed and is the first time that fitness to practice procedures will be put in place for these professionals on a statutory basis. The structure of the system of statutory registration will comprise a registration board for each of the professions to be registered, a Health and Social Care Professionals Council with overall responsibility for the regulatory system and a committee structure to deal with disciplinary matters.

The first step in the implementation of the system was the establishment of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, which was launched in March last year. The Council has now recruited a Chief Executive Officer in May of this year and is currently putting in place a suitable organisational structure. The Council must establish a registration board for each of the twelve professions currently covered by the Act.

The Council has examined which professions from within the designated twelve are most suitable for early registration and decided to appoint the first two of twelve statutory Registration Boards, the Social Worker Registration Board and the Physiotherapy Registration Board, provided for under the Act, to be established by early 2009.

The Health and Social Care Professionals Council's priority is to put in place the regulatory structures for the 12 designated professions initially. While the proposed system of statutory registration applies, in the first instance to twelve health and social care professions, the legislation provides for the inclusion of, on the basis of specific criteria, additional health and social care professions in the regulatory system over time, as appropriate. Within this context, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council may then consider whether statutory registration is warranted and appropriate for other disciplines of healthcare practitioners.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will arrange for the Health Service Executive to meet with and address the concerns of former patients of a doctor (details supplied); if the HSE has received correspondence from a group who act on behalf of these victims; the HSE response to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43815/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's request has been brought to the attention of the Health Service Executive (HSE) who have been in contact with the group in question regarding the provision of support services for the former patients involved. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the issues raised.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of developers and builders, in relation to primary care facilities, who have entered into legally binding contracts to build primary care centres; the number of general practitioners who have entered into legally binding contracts with the Health Service Executive to provide general practice services in the primary care centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43816/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Under the Health Act 2004, the management and delivery of health and personal social services is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. This includes operational responsibility for the establishment of Primary Care Teams and Primary Care Centres. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.