226 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Health and Children the minimum qualifications and appropriate training required by the Medical Council in relation to those engaged in the use of ionising radiation for medical purposes; the qualifications recognised by the council for this purpose; the way in which applicants for recognition under the European Communities (Medical Ionising Radiation) Regulations, 1988, are recorded by the council; the number of practitioners recognised under the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11602/99]

I referred the matters raised in the Deputy's question to the regulatory bodies with responsibility for this area. I have already forwarded the information received from the Dental Council to the Deputy in my reply to the Deputy's previous question for answer on Wednesday, 21 April 1999. The Medical Council has now advised my Department as follows.

In respect of users of ionising radiation for medical purposes, the Medical Council recognises qualified personnel and permitted personnel. Qualified personnel are radiologists, physicians with a degree in nuclear medicine and radiographers. The Medical Council accepts these groups as being fully qualified to use ionising radiation by virtue of their training. Permitted personnel are non-radiologist hospital doctors and non-nuclear physician hospital doctors who are required to undertake a short course in radiation protection and techniques before using ionising radiation in the course of their practise of medicine. Such courses are approved by the Medical Council and the faculty of radiologists.

On a regular basis, course organisers submit to the Medical Council the names of the registered medical practitioners who have attended each course and following consultation with the faculty of radiologists, eligible doctors are advised of the procedures to apply for certification by the Medical Council of their attendance at an approved course. The current lists of participants in approved courses, retained by the council, contains the names of 314 medical practitioners, which excludes radiologists and nuclear physicians.