John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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523. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the establishment of a registration board for the regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37507/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that I signed the regulations to designate the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 in May this year. The next step will be the appointment of the 13 members of the registration board. The Public Appointments Service is carrying out a recruitment campaign to identify suitable candidates for my consideration. The process to select the candidates from the 94 applications received will take place later this month and it is hoped that the registration board will be appointed before the end of the year.

Once appointed, the registration board will begin the substantial programme of work to draft the various bye-laws to allow the board to establish its registers. The board will also be requested to advise myself and the Health and Social Care Professionals Council on a range of issues pertaining to the regulation of the professions, including minimum standards of education and training and the titles to be protected.