John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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558. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm his intention to implement the decision of his predecessor (details supplied) in January 2016 to protect both titles of physiotherapist and physical therapist in one State register, and that in the interests of public health safety he will not allow the inclusion of other groups which are seeking to be placed on the same register as physiotherapists who have qualified with level 8 and 9 degrees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26499/16]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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641. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to implement the decision of his predecessor in January 2016 to protect both titles of physiotherapist and physical therapist in one State register; his further plans on the inclusion of other groups which are seeking to be placed on the same register as physiotherapists who have qualified with level 8 and 9 degrees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26825/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 and 641 together.

By end 2018, the title of physiotherapist is due to be protected, under the provisions of Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005, for the exclusive use of registrants of the physiotherapists register. I can confirm that I intend to implement the decisions taken earlier this year to also protect the title of physical therapist.

I will make regulations under the Act to prescribe the title of physical therapist as a variant of the title of physiotherapist thereby protecting both titles. I will also amend the Act to facilitate existing users of the title of physical therapist who are not qualified physiotherapists but who are graduates of the Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Science or who hold equivalent qualifications to continue to use the title. New and separate grand parenting provisions will be introduced to permit such practitioners to register, together with current students of the Institute who graduate, on a once-off basis and for a limited period, in the physiotherapists register. It would not be in the public interest to provide for the registration of those with lesser qualifications.