Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1453. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans for such an over-arching body in Ireland to provide oversight in the public interest of the health and social care regulators similar to the UK in Ireland (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29178/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) oversees ten regulators of health and care professionals in the UK. The system of health regulation in Ireland includes regulation of health care professionals through regulatory bodies and the regulation of services and products through agencies such as HIQA and the HPRA. These organisations are overseen by the Department of Health.

The issues to be considered regarding the proportionate degree of regulatory force required to protect the public are complex. Currently there are no plans to create a body similar to the PSA in Ireland. In light of the various issues to be considered, and in line with ongoing work in my Department, the Health Research Board were requested to carry out research on behalf of the Department to assist in policy development in this area. The report, “National Approaches to Regulating Health and Social Care Professions”, examines the approaches to the regulation of health and social care professionals internationally and is publicly available on the Department’s website (www.gov.ie/en/publication/ea62b-national-approaches-to-regulating-health-and-social-care-professions/).

My officials are in the process of drawing from this report and other relevant sources in the development of policy for the regulation of health and social care professionals into the future.k