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27 2005

Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005

PART 1

Preliminary Matters

Short title.

1. —This Act may be cited as the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 .

Commencement.

2. —(1) This Act comes into operation on the day that the Minister may, by order, appoint.

(2) Different days may be appointed under this section, by one or more than one order, for different purposes or different provisions of this Act.

Interpretation.

3. —(1) In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires—

“bye-law” means a bye-law made by a registration board under section 31 ;

“Council” means the Health and Social Care Professionals Council established under section 6 ;

“Court” means the High Court;

“designated profession” means a health or social care profession that—

(a) is designated in section 4 (1), or

(b) is designated by regulation under section 4 (2);

“establishment day” means—

(a) in relation to the Council, the day appointed under section 6 (3) for its establishment, and

(b) in relation to a registration board, the day appointed under section 26 (3) for its establishment;

“fee” means a fee set by the Council from time to time under section 18 ;

“functions” includes duties and responsibilities;

“health or social care profession” has the meaning given by section 4 (3);

“Minister” means the Minister for Health and Children;

“register” means a register established and maintained under section 36 ;

“registrant”, in relation to a designated profession, means an individual whose name is entered in the register of members of that profession;

“registration board” means a board established under section 26 or established by regulation under section 4 ;

“rule” means a rule made by the Council under section 22 ;

“superannuation benefit” means a pension, gratuity or other allowance payable on resignation, retirement or death.

(2) In this Act “material interest” is to be construed in accordance with section 2(3) of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 .

(3) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to a register includes a division of the register and “registered” and “registration” are to be construed accordingly.

(4) In this Act—

(a) a reference to a section, Part or Schedule is to a section or Part of, or a Schedule to, this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended,

(b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended, and

(c) a reference to any other enactment is to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act, unless the context otherwise requires.

Designated professions.

4. —(1) For the purposes of this Act, the following health or social care professions are designated:

(a) clinical biochemist;

(b) dietitian;

(c) medical scientist;

(d) occupational therapist;

(e) orthoptist;

(f) physiotherapist;

(g) podiatrist;

(h) psychologist;

(i) radiographer;

(j) social care worker;

(k) social worker;

(l) speech and language therapist.

(2) After consulting the Council, the Minister may, by regulation, designate for the purposes of this Act any health or social care profession not already designated under subsection (1), but only if—

(a) the fitness of the members to practise their profession is not regulated by or under another Act of the Oireachtas,

(b) the Minister has given interested persons, organisations and other bodies an opportunity to make representations to him or her concerning the proposed designation,

(c) the Minister considers that it is appropriate and in the public interest that the profession be designated under this Act, and

(d) the steps in subsection (8) have been taken.

(3) A health or social care profession is any profession in which a person exercises skill or judgment relating to any of the following health or social care activities:

(a) the preservation or improvement of the health or wellbeing of others;

(b) the diagnosis, treatment or care of those who are injured, sick, disabled or infirm;

(c) the resolution, through guidance, counselling or otherwise, of personal, social or psychological problems;

(d) the care of those in need of protection, guidance or support.

(4) In considering for the purposes of subsection (2)(c) whether it is appropriate and in the public interest that a health or social care profession be designated under this Act, the Minister shall have regard to the following factors:

(a) the extent to which the profession has a defined scope of practice and applies a distinct body of knowledge;

(b) the extent to which the profession has established itself, including whether there is at least one professional body representing a significant proportion of the profession's practitioners;

(c) the existence of defined routes of entry into the profession and of independently assessed entry qualifications;

(d) the profession's commitment to continuing professional development;

(e) the degree of risk to the health, safety or welfare of the public from incompetent, unethical or impaired practice of the profession;

(f) any other factor that the Minister considers relevant.

(5) Regulations under this section shall—

(a) include provision for the establishment of registration boards for the professions designated in the regulations, and

(b) specify the name by which each registration board is to be known.

(6) Regulations under this section may prescribe a title to be used by registrants of each profession designated by the regulations and, for that purpose, may also prescribe one or more than one variant of the prescribed title.

(7) Regulations under this section may also vary, as the Minister considers necessary or expedient in view of the increase in the number of designated professions—

(a) the total number of persons to be appointed as ordinary members of the Council under section 9 (3)(b), and

(b) the number of them to be appointed to represent the management of a sector, organisation or body, or to represent an establishment or interest, referred to in any subparagraph of that section.

(8) Regulations may be made under this section only if—

(a) a draft of the proposed regulation has been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, and

(b) a resolution approving the draft has been passed by each House.

Expenses of administering this Act.

5. —Any expenses incurred by the Minister in administering this Act are, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, payable out of money provided by the Oireachtas.