Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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514. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32832/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I recently concluded a public consultation on my proposal to regulate counsellors generally under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. On foot of the consultation process, I decided last month to proceed with the designation of two distinct professions under the Act, that of counsellor and psychotherapist. Each will have its own register under one registration board. This decision has now been communicated to the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, the relevant professional bodies and all the respondents to the public consultation process.

The Department is now preparing the necessary regulations to designate the professions. These regulations, when drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, will require the prior approval of this House and that of the Seanad. These will be the first in a suite of regulations that will need to be made over a period of time. It is hoped that the draft regulations will be ready for submission to the Oireachtas in the autumn.