Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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367. To ask the Minister for Health when legislation to regulate counselling services, including crisis pregnancy counselling, will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50443/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I signed regulations in May of this year designating the professions of counsellor and psychotherapist for regulation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 and establishing the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board. The Public Appointments Service undertook a campaign over the summer inviting applications from suitably qualified persons to apply for appointment to the registration board. This process concluded in late September 2018 and I intend making the board appointments before year end.

Once appointed, the registration board will begin the substantial programme of work that must be undertaken before a registration board can open its registers. This work includes consideration of titles to be protected and minimum qualifications to be required of existing practitioners applying for registration in the transitional period and for future graduates.