Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

378. To ask the Minister for Health the reason chiropractors who have been trained to use x-ray machines and who satisfy the requirements of SI 478 will not be permitted to do so under the secondary legislation introduced under the Radiological Protection Bill 2018. [11463/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Chiropractors are not designated as referrers or practitioners in S.I. No. 478 of 2002 (as amended) and do not, therefore, satisfy the requirements of the existing Regulations in this regard.

The draft European Union (Basic Safety Standards for Protection Against Dangers from Medical Exposure to Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2018, which will transpose the medical provisions of the Basic Safety Standards Directive, will be introduced under the European Communities Act 1972. The regulations will designate those who may refer for radiological tests, those who may carry them out and other functions and in this regard I propose to designate nurses, doctors, dentists and radiographers as appropriate.

The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) has overall responsibility for the transposition of the Basic Safety Standards Directive. The Radiological Protection Bill 2018 and any secondary regulations introduced under that Bill are matters for DCCAE.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

379. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 21 February 2018, if he will address the contradiction apparent in these sources (details supplied) [11464/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment regulations the EPA issued chiropractors with licences that entitled them to hold x-ray equipment (Radiological Protection Act, 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Order, 2000 S.I. 125/2000). The HSE Report states that it was decided to perform a baseline audit of chiropractors who use ionising radiation as all holders of radiological installations are subject to clinical audit under the European Communities (Medical Ionising Radiation Protection) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 478/2002).

Chiropractors are not designated as prescribers or practitioners under the existing regulations (S.I. 478/2002).