Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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310. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to simplify the process whereby social workers registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council can be registered with CORU to work here; his views on the administrative difficulties being experienced by qualified persons in relation to same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47850/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Social Workers Registration Board at CORU is the competent authority for the recognition of social worker qualifications under Directive 2005/36/EC. The Directive applies to all EEA nationals who wish to practise a regulated profession in an EEA Member State other than that in which they obtained their professional qualifications. This includes Irish citizens who study in any of the EEA Member States, including the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who seek to practise their profession in Ireland.

When approving the qualifications of those seeking registration as a social worker, the Social Workers Registration Board is bound by the legislation under which it was established - the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. Section 38 of the Act requires that an applicant, inter alia, holds an approved qualification to be eligible for registration.

Approved qualifications fall into three categories. They are qualifications that are:

- awarded in the State; or

- held by a person to whom Directive 2005/36/EC applies and who is recognised in accordance with the provisions of that Directive; or

- held by a person to whom the Directive does not apply and who does not have a qualification awarded within the State but who has been adjudged to meet the required standards by the Social Workers Registration Board.

EEA nationals who hold qualifications awarded in Northern Ireland fall into category b). As Directive 2005/36/EC provides for an assessment of an applicant's formal training and post-qualification professional experience, no two applications are the same; applications are therefore assessed on a case by case basis. I am advised by CORU that the application fee (which is in line with that charged by other competent authorities) is calculated on a cost basis to cover the administration, expert assessment and decision making.

CORU, which supports the work of the Social Workers Registration Board, continuously seeks to improve and streamline procedures undertaken in accordance with the Directive.

The process for recognising teaching qualifications awarded in Northern Ireland was referred to in the details supplied with this question. In this regard, the Teaching Council has advised that all applications for recognition of qualifications obtained outside the Republic of Ireland are assessed on a case by case basis in accordance with Directive 2005/36/EC; there is no system of automatic recognition in place.