David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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863. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 25 May 2025, the number of deadlines set and missed. [32417/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, CORU is Ireland's multi-profession health regulator responsible for regulating health and social care professionals. It includes the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the Registration Boards established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended).

CORU has established registers for designated professions incrementally, as registration Boards are established, with several being regulated before psychologists, primarily due to their earlier professional readiness.

Psychology has been a uniquely challenging profession to regulate due to the diversity of its specialisms and the fact that there is no common education pathway or standards for entry to the profession.

In 2017 the then Minister for Health established, and appointed members to the Psychologists Registration Board, under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (amended) to regulate the profession of psychologist.

There were no deadlines relating to the opening of this Board or the regulation of the profession set in the legislation.

A significant body of work has been undertaken by CORU to progress the opening of the Psychologists Registration Board in the last number of years including

• extensive research
• public consultation
• detailed risk analysis
• the establishment of an expert advisory group to make recommendations.