Where a profession is regulated in Ireland, to enter this profession an individual's qualifications need to be assessed and recognised before they can register with the relevant authority.
EU citizens can have their professional qualifications obtained in one EU country recognised in other EU countries. Provisions for this are made under https://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/services/free-movement-professionals/policy/legislation/for Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications.
While this overall formal framework no longer applies, as Northern Ireland is no longer part of the European Union, The Common Travel Area (CTA) provides citizens with many rights including the right to work. In the context of accessing employment in a regulated profession the recognition of professional qualifications is an underpinning requirement. My officials along with representative from the Regulated Professional Policy unit in the Department of Business and Trade, which has responsibility for the recognition of qualifications obtained in Northern Ireland, meet regularly and this provides a forum to raise issues related to recognition of professional qualifications. My officials advise that there have been no issues raised through this mechanism.
There is extensive experience within the various competent authorities who, in consultation with my department and other Government Departments, have developed revised pathways for recognition for applicants with professional qualifications obtained in Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK. Competent authorities provide details on recognition routes on their websites that cover qualifications obtained in Northern Ireland.
Where an issue arises the first point of contact should be to the competent authority with responsibility for regulation of that profession. They can provide detail on the appropriate pathway to follow and answer any queries that an applicant may have.
My department is in regular contact with competent authorities, both through structured and informal meetings and report that no issues related to qualification recognition for applicants presenting qualifications from Northern Ireland have emerged through these engagements.
In the event that an applicant has concerns about any aspect of the recognition process they can use the regulatory complaints procedure available to raise these concerns.
