Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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1523. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to have a health profession, that of nuclear medicine technologist, recognised by the State; the process of having such a health profession recognised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38268/13]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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1524. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding efforts to have a health qualification, namely that of nuclear medicine technology recognised by the State; the process of having such a health qualification recognised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38269/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1523 and 1524 together.

One of the requirements of statutory regulation of professions by the State is the possession of an approved qualification. In the absence of statutory regulation, persons are free to work without professional restriction in the State.

The Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 provides for the statutory regulation of twelve designated health and social care professions and my focus for the present time is to ensure the full regulation of these professions. The Act provides for further professions to be designated in the future and sets out factors to which the Minister should have regard such as:

(a ) the extent to which the profession has a defined scope of practice and applies a distinct body of knowledge;

(b ) the extent to which the profession has established itself, including whether there is at least one professional body representing a significant proportion of the profession's practitioners;

(c ) the existence of defined routes of entry into the profession and of independently assessed entry qualifications;

(d ) the profession's commitment to continuing professional development;

(e ) the degree of risk to the health, safety or welfare of the public from incompetent, unethical or impaired practice of the profession;

(f ) any other factor that the Minister considers relevant.

I have no plans to designate a new profession of nuclear medicine technologist under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005.

A process exists for the recognition of non-Irish health professional qualifications wherein they are assessed against the qualifications set for recruitment at basic grade in the relevant grade in the Health Service Executive. There is no grade of nuclear medicine technologist in the Health Service Executive and hence no recognition process is in place.