Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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271. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 920 of 13 July 2017 and 415 of 6 February 2018, his plans to include a Garda vetting process in cases of previous malpractice or criminality by such therapists when the registration boards are being set up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10902/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Further to my response to Parliamentary Questions 920 of 2017 and 415 of 2018, there are no plans for the statutory regulation of complementary therapists, including hypnotherapists, in Ireland. Although not subject to professional statutory regulation, complementary therapists are subject to a range of legislation and regulation similar to other practitioners, including consumer legislation, competition, contract and criminal law.

As previously advised, Department policy has been informed by the National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapists that was published in 2005. In addition to considering this report, the Department of Health has supported greater voluntary self-regulation of complementary therapy.

The immediate priority for the Department is the establishment of the boards of the remaining professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. The draft Regulations to designate the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist and to establish a registration board for these professions have now, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, been laid before each House 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 steps will be to make the regulations and appoint the 13 members of the registration board following the submission of suitable candidates for my consideration by the Public Appointments Service. When the registration board has been established and its members appointed its primary tasks will be to commence drafting the various bye-laws to allow it to establish its registers.

All applicants for registration with a Registration Board maintained by the Health and Social Care Professionals Council are required to undergo vetting with the National Vetting Bureau.