Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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2402. To ask the Minister for Health her views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to the standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45847/25]

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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2408. To ask the Minister for Health if a proportionality assessment was carried out prior to the adoption by CORU of the new Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for Counsellors and Psychotherapists, as required under the Proportionality Regulations (S.I. No. 413 of 2022); the process followed, including consultation with stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45855/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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2409. To ask the Minister for Health her views in relation to issues raised (details supplied) regarding the recent publication of the Standards and Criteria for Counsellors and Psychotherapists by the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45857/25]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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2413. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide clarity on the process followed by the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU in adopting the recently published Standards and Criteria for Counsellors and Psychotherapists; if a proportionality assessment was carried out before their adoption; the consultation process undertaken; the rationale for the changes made between the 2023 draft standards and the final published version; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45872/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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2417. To ask the Minister for Health to urgently examine concerns raised in correspondence regarding a recent publication (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45888/25]

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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2421. To ask the Minister for Health if she ensured a proportionality assessment and public consultation was carried out regarding the set standards of proficiency and criteria for education and training programmes for counsellors and psychotherapists, as published by the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU in July 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45921/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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2426. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of members of an association (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45954/25]

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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2433. To ask the Minister for Health if she has received correspondence from an organisation (details supplied) expressing concerns with regard to the recent publication of the standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists by the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU; her response to such concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46102/25]

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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2472. To ask the Minister for Health if a response will issue to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46221/25]

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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2479. To ask the Minister for Health the timeframe for EU (Regulated Professions Proportionality Assessment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 413 of 2022) to be complied with in order for standards of proficiency and criteria in education and training programmes to be finalised for psychotherapists and counsellors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46295/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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2489. To ask the Minister for Health if she will review the adoption of standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists by the counsellors and psychotherapists registration board of CORU given issues that have been raised (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46367/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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2490. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide a proportionality assessment of the standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46368/25]

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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2492. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the concerns raised by an association (details supplied) regarding changed standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists by the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU (the Board); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46371/25]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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2554. To ask the Minister for Health if she will review the standards and criteria for a sector (details supplied); if she will ensure proper procedure has taken place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46759/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2402, 2408, 2409, 2413, 2417, 2421, 2426, 2433, 2472, 2479, 2489, 2490, 2492 and 2554 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, CORU is Ireland’s multi-profession health and social care regulator. With extensive experience in introducing regulation to health and social care professions for the first time, CORU has already established twelve registers for a range of professions. CORU’s work ensures the protection of the public by regulating the work of over 30,000 health and social care professionals.

Counsellors and psychotherapists perform a vital role, providing therapeutic care to often vulnerable people. Regulation is being introduced to these professions to protect the public, ensuring that care provided is of a consistently high standard and always by suitably qualified individuals.

The Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board was established in 2019 and since that time has been working to progress regulation of both professions.

Following designation of the two professions to be regulated by the then Minister for Health in 2017, the Board proceeded to undertake extensive research, analysis, and public consultation to introduce regulation of each profession for the first time. This recognises the differences in scope and complexity of practice between the two professions and ensures that the threshold standards and qualification levels set for each accurately reflect the competencies required for safe and effective practice, while strengthening public protection.

CORU has now published two distinct sets of regulatory documents, recognising the differences between the professions of counselling and psychotherapy.

For each profession there is:

• Standards of Proficiency, which set out the minimum knowledge and skills required for entry to the Register.
• Criteria for Education and Training Programmes, which set the requirements for how professional training programmes are designed and managed to ensure graduates consistently meet the Standards of Proficiency.

Under EU Directive 2018/958, and the transposing Irish legislation (S.I. No. 413 of 2022), a proportionality assessment is required prior to the introduction of regulation of a profession (and this includes both new and amended requirements which restrict access to a regulated profession). The setting of Standards and Criteria is one component of this broader regulatory process and does not itself constitute the regulatory provision.

Throughout its work to introduce regulation of both professions, CORU has ensured compliance with the Directive, including assessing the proportionality of the Standards and Criteria. As CORU progresses this works further, other aspects will also be proportionality tested, including registration requirements, the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics, and CPD requirements. CORU will submit the results of the proportionality tests to my Department, and subsequently, to the European Commission.

As part of this work to ensure compliance with the Directive, the 2023 public consultation explicitly sought stakeholder feedback on the proportionality of the proposed Standards and Criteria before these were finalised by the Board. CORU continues to work directly with my Department to ensure compliance with EU requirement and remains committed to transparent, fair, and proportionate regulation that protects the public and supports practitioners.

I am confident that CORU’s work will bring clear benefits for public protection. The framework has been designed to strengthen standards of practice while ensuring that training pathways and workforce supply are not adversely affected.

The introduction of consistent standards for the education and training of counsellors and psychotherapists marks a significant milestone, ensuring that those seeking support can have confidence in accessing appropriately trained and qualified practitioners.

I am assured that CORU will continue to engage closely with education providers, professional bodies, and other stakeholders as the regulatory process advances, keeping public protection at the centre of this work.

I am eager to see this work progressed so that these two very important professions are regulated in the interest of public protection.