Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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821. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to changes to the first aid certification process overseen by his Department and the HSE, including cost increases to employers, which apparently come into effect from September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35478/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) is the statutory body responsible for standards, education and training in the area of pre-hospital emergency care. In 2014, PHECC developed the First Aid Response (FAR) education and training standard, building on its foundational Cardiac First Response course.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is responsible for the enforcement of occupational first aid (OFA) provisions of Part 7 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007. I understand that the HSA have proposed to change over from the OFA to the FAR standard, and on 1 September next, FAR will become the recognised standard to meet occupational first aid needs in the workplace. The HSA, PHECC and other stakeholders have been working together on the transition and I have been advised that due consideration has been given to concerns raised in relation to the variances between both standards.

To address concerns, the PHECC Education and Standards Committee has prioritised the review of the FAR Standard, including its content and course duration. This work is currently in progress, and it is anticipated that it will be completed by the end of the year. In addition, a FAR project team is working to streamline the PHECC administrative processes for application and review for Recognised Institution status and associated FAR course approvals. It is expected that these actions will help reduce the time needed by PHECC to review and quality assure applications from prospective organisations including current OFA training providers. However, it will be necessary for PHECC to make certain that the high level of quality standards expected of PHECC's Recognised Institutions, and the instructors authorised to deliver the FAR education and training standard, is maintained.