Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Health if he will introduce standards to regulate psychotherapists and counsellors working in the area of eating disorders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24066/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The priority of the Department for the foreseeable future is the statutory registration of the twelve therapy professions covered by the Health and Social Care Professionals Council.

Before statutory registration could be considered for other therapies, such as psychotherapy and counselling, there is a need for each individual therapy to federate so that it can advise, as a single voice, on professional standards. This was a recommendation of the Report of the National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapists (December 2005).

I am aware that HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council) is currently working with representatives of the professional bodies and of higher education institutions that provide courses in psychotherapy and counselling to determine national standards of knowledge, skill and competence to be required for the award of higher education qualifications in these fields. While academic qualifications are not sufficient in themselves as a means of professional regulation, agreement on academic standards does form a critical building block for any modern regulatory system for professions.

It should be noted that while psychotherapists and counsellors are not subject to professional statutory regulation , they are subject to legislation, similar to other practitioners, including consumer legislation, competition, contract and criminal law.