Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 676 to 678, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will already 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.

CORU currently regulates 27,120 Health and Social Care professionals across 12 professions. These include: Dietitians; Dispensing Opticians; Medical Scientists; Occupational Therapists; Optometrists; Physiotherapists including Physical Therapists; Podiatrists/Chiropodists; Radiographers; Radiation Therapist; Social Worker; Speech and Language Therapists; and Social Care Workers.

Professionals who qualify within the State can apply directly for registration, while professionals who qualify outside the State are required to have their qualifications assessed and recognised before they can seek registration. While the ‘recognition’ process and the registration process can run in parallel, they are currently distinct. CORU’s summer 2024 rollout of the new integrated application system to all professions (it currently operates for the recently opened Social Care Workers register only) will allow for a more streamlined and efficient process for all applicants and, in particular international applicants. This new system will offer a single integrated process and better sight of progress through the system for applicants, as well as enhanced reporting capabilities.

The data requested are therefore reported separately here for the two processes pending transition of the radiation therapy profession into the new system.

Number of radiation therapists registered by CORU in each of the years since 2017

Total Registrants	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	YTD (19 April 2024)
Radiation Therapists	383	405	437	477	499	514	535	522

Number of people who applied to CORU for registration as a radiation therapist in each of the years since 2017, and the number of applicants whose applications were refused:

Radiation Therapists	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Applications Received	42	47	43	60	42	48	53
Applications Refused	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Applications Granted Registration**Please note decisions made in any year may relate to applications received in the years prior.	43	43	49	57	41	50	47

International applications to CORU for recognition of qualifications in radiation therapy – outcomes to end 2023

Outcome/Year	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	Overall Total
Qualification Recognised	8	20	17	26	11	21	17	120
Compensation measures required (not yet complete)	1	1	1	0	0	6	3	12
Refused	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total Applications	9	21	18	26	11	27	20	132

Number of applications for registration as a radiation therapist currently with CORU, and the average time for a decision on applications:

Radiation Therapist Applications as of 19 April 2024	29
Applications incomplete / pending outstanding documentation	25

Current processing timeframe for Radiation Therapist Applications (19 April 2024) 90 days*

*The 90 days refers to the time an application is received to completion time. An application may be delayed or on hold due to a requirement for additional information or if the applicant does not provide all documentation required for registration. If all documentation is received with the initial application, and there are no exceptions on the application, then this timeframe is shorter.

Current applications for recognition of international qualifications in radiation therapy

In verification process	3
Under Assessment	2

Average time required (currently) for assessment and decision on recognition of International qualifications in Radiation Therapy

Profession/Year*	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024 YTD
Radiation Therapist	90	59	86	83	53	74