Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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198. To ask the Minister for Health what his Department is doing to resolve CORU registration delay issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5241/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, CORU is Ireland's multi-profession health regulator for regulating health and social care professionals. CORU’s role is to protect the public by regulating the health and social care professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended), including setting the standards that health and social care professionals must meet to be eligible for registration and maintaining registers of persons who meet those standards.

There are two forms of application to CORU: applications for the recognition of qualifications received outside the State and applications for registration. An individual can only be admitted to a CORU register when they have demonstrated to their registration board’s satisfaction that they are suitably qualified, have committed to adhere to their profession’s Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, and are a fit and proper person to engage in the profession, which requires being vetted by the National Vetting Bureau.

At present the average processing time for applications for recognition is 69.5 days while the average processing time for applications for registration is 9.6 weeks.

I met with the Chairperson and CEO of CORU last year and raised the issue of timeframes for the recognition of qualifications and registration applications. Following our discussion, several measures have been initiated by CORU aimed at further reducing timeframes.

Until last year applicants were required to complete the recognition process before initiating the registration process unless they had confirmed job offers. All applicants are now invited to initiate an application for registration as soon as they have submitted a complete application file to the recognition department. This will have the effect of reducing the period of time required to both complete the recognition and registration process.

This is part of a suite of innovations that have been initiated following my discussions with CORU. Further steps underway include:

- Full transfer to an online application system

- Increased frequency of regulatory decision making (Registration Board meetings)

- Assignment of additional temporary staff resources

- Recruitment of additional expert assessors in ‘under pressure’ professions

- Development of a Voice over IP (VoIP) solution to improve communications with applicants

My Department will continue to support CORU in achieving its strategic vision and improving timeframes for all applicants into the future.