Department of Health consultation on proportionality of legislative amendments proposed by Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill

October 28, 2025
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The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill T.D., has launched a public consultation that provides the opportunity to consider the proportionality of proposed legislative amendments by the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill. This Bill includes amendments to a number of Acts which underpin the regulation of health and social care professionals, medical practitioners, nurses, midwives and pharmacy owners.  

This consultation is focused on the Proportionality Test Directive (EU) 2018/958, which became part of Irish law in 2022. It asks governments to make sure that any new or updated rules for regulated professions are fair, reasonable, and not overly restrictive. This consultation is about getting feedback on whether the proposed changes meet those standards. 

The legislative amendments include proposals that:

  • aim to enhance the efficiency of fitness to practise processes within both the Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)
  • support the expansion of the role of Health and Social Care Professionals in specific clinical areas in the future, including enabling CORU’s registration boards to set standards for and approve post-registration training programmes linked to specific activities that are considered to carry particular risks to the public
  • support operational, technical and other changes aimed at improving the overall efficiency of the legislation. This includes a provision relating to declarations by pharmacy owners. The Bill proposes to repeal the relevant section of the 2020 Amendment Act, which had introduced an obligation for pharmacy owners to make annual declarations regarding disciplinary or judicial proceedings in Ireland, or other jurisdictions, excluding those under the Pharmacy Act. 

The PSI encourages members of the public, pharmacists, pharmacy owners and other health and social care professionals to participate in the public consultation. Information is available on the Department of Health website, including access to the online consultation survey. 

The survey is open for responses from 24 October 2025 to 21 November 2025.