Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1077. To ask the Minister for Health the timeframe for the introduction of statutory registration for counselling and psychotherapy services under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. [37780/17]

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 have decided 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 been communicated to the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, the relevant professional bodies and all the respondents to the public consultation process.

I expect that the draft regulations to designate the professions and to establish the registration board will be ready for submission to the Houses of the Oireachtas for their approval during the forthcoming session. Subject to the approval of the Houses, the next step will be the appointment of the 13 members of the registration board following the submission of suitable candidates for my consideration by the Public Appointments Service. I hope that the registration board will be in a position early in the New Year to begin the task of drafting the various bye-laws to allow it to establish its registers.