David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Health the status of regulation of psychologists and the protection of the title psychologist; and the timeframe for registration. [26122/25]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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157. To ask the Minister for Health the number of deadlines set and missed on the establishment of a register of psychologists with CORU. [26123/25]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Health if she is concerned that psychologists are still not regulated with CORU, given the level of outsourcing to private psychologists. [26124/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 157 and 158 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, CORU is Ireland’s multi-profession health and social care regulator. 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.

Seventeen health and social care professions are designated for regulation by CORU. There are currently registers open for twelve professions and CORU is continuing the substantial work required to open the registers for the remaining designated professions of Psychologists; Counsellors and Psychotherapists; Clinical Biochemists; and Orthoptists.

The Psychologists Registration Board (PSRB) was established in 2017. The work of the PSRB includes setting the Standards of Proficiency for entry to its register and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes, a Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics that registrants must adhere to and continuing professional development requirements for registrants.

Regulating a new profession is a complex and lengthy process, requiring careful consideration and preparatory work to ensure that it is effective in protecting the public. Psychology has been a uniquely challenging profession to regulate due to the diversity of its specialisms (for example clinical psychology, counselling psychology, occupational and work psychology, sports and performance psychology) and the fact that there is no common education pathway or standards for entry to the profession.

Following a significant body of work comprising extensive research, public consultation, detailed risk analysis, and the establishment of an expert advisory group to make recommendations, the PSRB has developed a one register, four division model for the psychology profession, comprising clinical, counselling, and educational psychology divisions -which are considered higher-risk areas- and a general division for all other psychologists. This model will empower CORU to protect the title of ‘psychologist,’ a shared goal aimed at ensuring public protection.

Each division - clinical, counselling, educational, and the general psychologists division—will have its own set of pre-registration requirements, determining eligibility for registration. The PSRB held a public consultation on draft standards of proficiency and education criteria for clinical, counselling, and educational psychology from 7 October to 29 November 2024. The PSRB is now carefully considering the submissions to its public consultation as it works to set the threshold standards required for public protection.

Regulation of psychology will be rolled out in two phases: phase one will open a division each for clinical, counselling, and educational psychology. Phase two will roll out regulation of the general division. Timelines for implementation of this phase will be dependent on how quickly education providers adapt to new qualification requirements.

As highlighted, regulating a new profession is a complex and lengthy process. I am pleased with the significant progress that has been made in recent years. It is anticipated that opening the divisions for each of the three specialisms will take place in the near future.

CORU, the PSRB, and my department are fully committed to delivering regulation of this very important profession through protection of the title of ‘psychologist’ and I look forward to the opening of each of the divisions.