Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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324. To ask the Minister for Health the reason almost ten years after the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (details supplied) was introduced there is still no complaints procedure in place in view of the fact that the website of the council set up to deal with this states that this will happen in the next 12 months, this has been the case for years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46976/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the registration boards established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 are responsible for protecting the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence amongst the professions designated under the Act. The 12 professions designated under the Act are clinical biochemists, dietitians, medical scientists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, radiographers, social care workers, social workers and speech and language therapists.

The Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 is being implemented on a phased basis as registration boards and their registers are being established.

A total of six registration boards, for the professions of social worker, radiographer, dietitian, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist and physiotherapist are currently operating. I hope to establish the registration boards for the remaining designated professions in 2015.

To date, registers have been established for the four designated professions of social worker, radiographer, dietitian and speech and language therapist.

Provision is made under the Act for a "Fitness to Practice" regime to deal with complaints and disciplinary sanctions in relation to registrants. This provision of the Act, which will come into force early next year, will allow complaints to be made about registrants. If upheld, disciplinary sanctions can be imposed, including preventing a registrant from practising his or her profession. The implementation and operation of a robust "Fitness to Practice" process will underpin and ensure adequate client safety.