Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 October 2025
697. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if she will consider reviewing a case (details supplied) in which a UK-trained clinical psychologist, and Irish citizen, cannot return to Ireland to practise due to administrative barriers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53767/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the EU Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2005/36/EC), I, as Minister for Health, am the competent authority for several health and social care professions. This includes those with clinical, counselling and educational psychology qualifications who wish to practise their profession in the publicly funded health sector in Ireland. Officials in my Department, in the Validation Unit, administer the process on my behalf. The assessment processes of the Directive are also applied to qualifications which are outside the Directive’s scope (i.e. non-EEA qualifications or EEA qualifications of non-EEA nationals).
The Department is advised in the process by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). The PSI has established an Expert Validation Committee to assess applications and make recommendations. On receiving the advice of the PSI, the Validation Unit issue a decision letter to the applicant.
Where an applicant is dissatisfied with the decision, they have the option of both a review and an informal appeal so that further information can be supplied and considered. I understand that this application is currently with the PSI for review and that a decision will be communicated to the applicant in due course. Where an applicant is required to complete a compensation measure, it is also open to the applicant to complete the compensation measure in their home country and to submit a new application for validation.
