Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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562. To ask the Minister for Health her Department's perspective on the CORU revised standards and criteria for counsellors and psychotherapists (details supplied); and the reason the revised standards also reduce the requirements for clinical supervision of therapists, which is an essential component of safe practice and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64639/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is 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).

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 as part of the process of introducing statutory regulation for these professions.

The public consultation process received over 700 submissions, including from 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.

In line with the CPRB’s statutory responsibility to assess, balance and consider all perspectives before reaching a final evidence-based decision, the Board carefully considered every submission received and determined the final Standards and Criteria that will underpin entry to the registers for both counsellors and psychotherapists. This open, structured and inclusive process demonstrates CORU’s clear commitment to transparency, accountability, evidence-based decision-making, proportionality and, above all, the protection of the public.

A comprehensive consultation report has been published by CORU, setting out the process followed, the key themes raised in submissions, and the rationale for the final decisions taken by the Board and is accessible at

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.