Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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656. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a job evaluation for support workers in Section 38 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52532/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter in relation, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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658. To ask the Minister for Health whether play therapists registered with IPTA could be added to the list of professions examined by CORU. [52567/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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A number of representative bodies for unregulated professions have approached the Department seeking to be regulated. It is important in this context to point out the issues to be considered regarding the proportionate degree of regulatory force required to protect the public are complex.

In light of this, and in line with ongoing work in the Department of Health, the Health Research Board was 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 ().

My officials are in the process of drawing from this report and other relevant sources to develop a framework to guide policy on the regulation of health and social care professionals into the future. This framework will also be informed by an evidence and risk-based approach to regulation in line with requirements set out in the EU Proportionality Test Directive, which was transposed into Irish law on 19 August 2022 (S.I. No. 413/2022). Further information on the Proportionality Test Directive can be found here:

It should be noted that there are no plans in place to progress regulation of individual professions until appropriate risk-assessment and evaluation tools are in place in compliance with best practice, international evidence, and the Proportionality Test Directive.