1641. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if she will advise on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to CORU psychotherapy regulation. [57832/25]

1679. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if she will review correspondence (details supplied); if she will address the concerns raised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58039/25]

1690. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health to consider maintaining the requirement for personal therapy during psychotherapy training, given CORU's Standards of Proficiency and Criteria Trainees' current proposal recommends that it is removed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58075/25]

1691. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health to consider removing the proposed reduction of clinic practice hours during psychotherapy training, from 350 hours to 200 hours, that is recommended in CORU's standards of proficiency and criteria trainees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58076/25]

1692. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health the reason there is no requirement to have clinical supervision once qualified as a psychotherapist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58077/25]

1705. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will engage with an organisation (details supplied) regarding concerns over CORUs proposed changes to psychotherapy training standards, including the reduction of clinical hours, removal of personal therapy requirements, and elimination of mandatory supervision; if she will use her powers under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to ensure current standards are maintained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58093/25]

1743. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to a series of matters in relation to the recently published Standards of Proficiency and Education and Training Requirements for the profession of psychotherapy by CORU (details supplied); and if she will exercise her powers under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to ensure that, at a minimum, current standards of training and professional practice are maintained, as recommended by an organisation and its ten member organisations representing the profession nationally. [58246/25]

1839. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health her views on the concerns raised by practitioners regarding the recent publication of the Standards and Criteria for Counsellors and Psychotherapists by CORU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58789/25]

1874. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of the concern held by professional bodies representing psychotherapists regarding new accreditation standards that are being proposed for the profession by CORU, on the basis that these new standards would lower professional standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58913/25]

1901. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Health to urgently examine concerns raised by the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59146/25]

1990. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health whether the appropriate proportionality assessment was carried out by her or the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU ahead of its adopting of the 2023 draft Standards and Criteria for Counsellors and Psychotherapists to ensure that the potential unintended consequences of any proposed regulatory changes, takes account of workforce capacity, service accessibility, and the quality of professional training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59556/25]

2048. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Health if she will intervene with CORU to ensure that standards for the recognition of psychotherapy qualifications are maintained at present levels, notably the requirement for personal therapy in training, mandatory clinical supervision and a minimum timeframe in training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59957/25]

I propose to take Question Nos 1641,1679,1690 to 1692, inclusive, 1705,1743,1839,1874,1901,1990 and 2048 together.

As the Deputies are 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. This work has been informed by, and is in line with, requirements set out in the EU Proportionality Test Directive (transposed into Irish law on 19 August 2022 (S.I. No. 413/2022)).

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 Counsellors & Psychotherapists Registration Board - Coru

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.

The adopted Standards and Criteria reflect the threshold knowledge and skills required for safe practice at entry to the professions of Counselling and Psychotherapy. 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.

The Standards of Proficiency set by the Board may not fully reflect how an existing practitioner sees his or her current practice. This is because the Standards set only the knowledge and skills needed on day one for practice. They are not meant to wholly reflect the practice of existing practitioners.

For existing practitioners, there is provision in the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended) to make registration applications (when the register opens) through the grandparenting process, also known as the Section 91 registration pathway.

The Board also highlighted that the standards do not set post-qualifying standards of practice for registrants. This would include such areas as CPD and supervision post qualification. Requirements for registrants will be addressed through the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics that will be set in advance of the opening of the register and will be subject to a public stakeholder consultation.

On issues such as personal therapy and clinical supervision CORU’s competency-based framework ensures that essential attributes such as self-awareness, reflexivity, and ethical judgment are achieved through validated educational methods, including clinical supervision, reflective practice, and experiential learning.

CORU’s criteria mandate structured, practice-integrated supervision that enables supervisors and educators to directly evaluate proficiency and ensure safe practice. This approach provides robust, verifiable safeguards while maintaining flexibility for different theoretical modalities. The standards set the threshold for safe and effective practice, without restricting innovation or allowing education providers to exceed these minimum requirements at their discretion.

Regarding professional mobility, the profession of psychotherapist falls under the general system of recognition within the European Union, whereby each Member State determines the required training standards and assesses applications for recognition of qualifications from other Member States through a comparative evaluation. Where substantial differences in qualifications exist, compensation measures may be required.

Irish trained psychotherapists who move to another Member State will be assessed under the general system of recognition in the same way that other Irish trained health professionals are assessed when moving to another Member State, for example physiotherapists and social workers. There is no standardisation of education and training for psychotherapists in the EU and each Member State which regulates the profession does so in a manner which reflects the context in that State.

It is important to note that neither counselling nor psychotherapy is currently a statutorily regulated profession in the UK, including Northern Ireland. This means there are no legal restrictions preventing someone from practising as a counsellor or psychotherapist in these jurisdictions.

When the registers open in Ireland the CPRB will become the competent authority responsible for assessing international applicants who wish to practise as counsellors or psychotherapists in Ireland.

At that stage, any person, including those qualified in the UK or Northern Ireland, will be able to apply to have their qualifications assessed to demonstrate that they meet the threshold standards of proficiency, meaning the required knowledge, skills, and competence to practise safely and effectively in Ireland.

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.