Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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567. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the Irish Council for Psychotherapy’s submission on health and safety matters (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34577/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) service is a national service funded from the significant Programme for Government investment in Mental Health, to include access to counselling and psychotherapy, and supplementing existing services provided by Primary Care. Within the specialist secondary care mental health service, counselling and psychotherapy is provided within Community Mental Health Teams, when service users are clinically assessed as requiring this intervention provided by a health professional. There is a commitment in the HSE Service Plan 2015 to "Reviewing and improving access to psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic interventions in conjunction with the Primary Care Division", as a first step to further consolidate and direct counselling services generally.

In relation to the requirements for workforce planning generally, Action 46 of Future Health: (DoH, 2012)commits the Department of Health to work with the HSE to implement an approach to workforce planning and development that achieves the objectives of recruiting and retaining the right mix of staff; training and upskilling the workforce; providing for professional and career development; and creating supportive and healthy workplaces. This approach will include the development by the Department of a national integrated strategic framework for health workforce planning during 2016.

The Department will convene a cross-sectoral Working Group to develop the national integrated strategic framework in the near future. Preparation of terms of reference is well advanced and consultation with key stakeholders will form part of the Group’s work.

The Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 provides that the Minister for Health may, by regulation, designate a health and social care profession not already designated if he or she considers that it is in the public interest to do so and if specified criteria have been met.

The process of applying the Act to counsellors and psychotherapists is currently underway. A detailed report on the matter has been submitted by the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and is being examined in the Department. It is envisaged that the next stage will include a wider round of consultation involving the professional bodies and other interested parties.

In light of the above, all relevant issues raised in the submission of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy have been noted by the Department of Health. Other issues, such as those relating to VAT or tax reliefs, are a matter for the Minister for Finance.