Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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318. To ask the Minister for Health if there will be a requirement for registered practitioners, under the upcoming implementation of statutory registration for the counselling and psychotherapy profession, to also be a member of a professional body or a particular professional body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52866/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health and Social Care Professional Act 2005, which, it is proposed, will regulate the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist, does not provide that registrants be a member of a professional body.

In accordance with the provisions of that Act, the draft Regulations to designate these professions and to establish a registration board for both professions have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and resolutions approving the drafts have been submitted to each House for consideration. 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 next year to begin the task of drafting the various bye-laws to allow it to establish its registers.