Written answers
Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Department of Health
Mental Health Services
Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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864. To ask the Minister for Health whether her Department has engaged with CORU on the proposed changes in regulations for psychotherapists and counsellors, which include the removal of mandatory personal therapy and clinical supervision, along with the creation of a rigid separation between counselling and psychotherapy; if her Department has concerns over these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54948/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, CORU is Ireland’s multiprofession 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).
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 (CPRB) was established in 2019 and since that time has been working to progress regulation of both professions.
The CPRB undertook extensive research, analysis, and public consultation to introduce regulation of each profession for the first time. The public consultation process received over 700 submissions, including educators, professional bodies and existing practitioners. This comprehensive process recognised 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. This consultation process has been published by CORU and is available on their web site.
In July 2025 CORU published two key documents for each of these professions.
- Standards of Proficiency: These outline the threshold knowledge and skills required for entry to the register. They define what a counsellor or psychotherapist must be able to do at the point of entry into practice.
- Criteria for Education and Training Programmes: These set out the systems and processes education providers must implement in the design and management of education and training programmes. They provide assurance that all graduates have achieved all the Standards of Proficiency upon successful completion of an education and training programme.
On issues such as personal therapy and clinical supervision, CORU’s position is evidence-based and guided by proportionality.
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.
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 two very important professions are finally regulated, in the interest of public protection.
Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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865. To ask the Minister for Health if she will address the delays faced by a person (details supplied) in accessing support from CAMHS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54952/25]
Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy RE:CAMHS issue in question as soon as possible.
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