Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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242. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce an accreditation system and approval body for nutritionists similar to that already in operation for dietitians to ensure standards of practice and skills by those claiming to be nutritionists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24991/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Nutritionists are not currently regulated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. The Act provides that the Minister for Health may, under section 4(2), 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 Department’s immediate priority, however, is to establish the regulatory process for the 14 professions already designated and to commence the legislation required to give effect to my recent decision to designate counsellors and psychotherapists for regulation under the Act.

It is proposed that, when all the registers have been established the Department will ask CORU to prepare a risk assessment, in terms of public protection, of the principal health and social care professions seeking designation, and to make recommendations concerning options for their possible future regulation.