Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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669. To ask the Minister for Health the actions that will be taken to remedy the employment records of the North Eastern Health Board who, because of the loss of records from 1974 to July 1981, cannot confirm employment of people during that time and who then cannot claim the contributions they made during those dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19125/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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As this is an operational matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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670. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made by HETAC to expedite the proposal for a protected title for psychotherapist and counsellor to facilitate their inclusion under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 as outlined by him him at the Dáil Select Committee on Health on 9 November 2012 [19137/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, the Minister for Health may designate a health and social care profession if he or she considers that it is in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met. While my immediate priority is to proceed with the establishment of the registration boards for the twelve professions currently designated under the Act, I am committed to bringing counsellors and psychotherapists within the ambit of the Act as soon as possible.

I acknowledge the work done by a number of counsellor and psychotherapist national groups in coming together as the Psychological Therapies Forum to advise as a single voice in so far as is possible. There are a number of issues still to be clarified, however. These include decisions on whether one or two professions are to be regulated, on the title or titles of the profession or professions, and on the minimum qualifications to be required of counsellors and psychotherapists. In relation to the latter, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the successor to HETAC, has established a Standards Development Group for Counselling and Psychotherapy which aims to establish standards of knowledge, skills and competence to be acquired by candidates for educational qualifications that will be required for careers in counselling and/or psychotherapy. This is an essential prerequisite to regulation of the profession. The QQI Report is expected to be completed later this year or early in 2014. In addition, the standards of proficiency to be required of existing practitioners for registration will need to be established and the necessary qualifications prescribed.

Officials of my Department will be engaging with the Psychological Therapies Forum and other relevant stakeholders as soon as the QQI report is available. They will work through the outstanding issues that have yet to be addressed with a view to achieving regulation of the profession as soon as possible in the best interests of the protection of the public. I would like to emphasise that while counsellors and psychotherapists are not currently subject to professional statutory regulation, they are of course subject to legislation similar to other practitioners including consumer legislation, competition, contract and criminal law.