(b) Opening of Registers

There is a detailed and complex process of work to be completed by each Registration Board before the opening of a register.

The process of implementing regulation for the profession involves several important and interdependent milestones, each of which plays a crucial role in ensuring public protection and establishing the foundation for safe practice. Each of these steps ensures that the legal and regulatory infrastructure is in place that facilitates the opening of a register.

Opening registers for clinical, counselling and educational psychologists requires the following key milestones to be met:

• Milestone One: Setting of Pre-Registration Education and Training Requirements (Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes)
• Milestone Two: Setting of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics
• Milestone Three: the adoption of a list of qualifications for entry onto each of the registers
• Milestone Four: Establishment of all registration Bye-Laws

Following the achievement of each of these milestones for each of the specialisms, registers will be opened and the 2-year period for grandparenting existing practitioners will commence.

The Psychologists Registration Board has achieved the first milestone with the setting of its pre-registration education and training requirements. It has also undertaken a stakeholder consultation process on its draft Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics and anticipates that it will be in a position to publish a finalised Code in early 2026.

In addition, the Board will adopt a list of qualifications for entry into each of the three registers and will establish all of the registration Bye-Laws, thereby facilitating the opening of registers during the first Quarter of 2026, subject to the successful passage of legislative amendments through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Board anticipates being in a position to open its three registers for clinical, counselling and educational psychologists in early 2026. This timeline is subject to the successful passage of legislative amendments to the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended) through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

As the process moves forward, updates will be provided on the CORU website and through our social media channels, along with continuing engagement with the professional body, the Psychological Society of Ireland.

The Psychologists Registration Board is continuing to make progress towards the introduction of statutory regulation for the psychology profession.

Alongside the publication of three distinct sets of pre-registration education and training requirements for clinical, counselling and educational psychologists, the Board has been progressing with work to draft Standards of Proficiency that articulate the knowledge and skills required for entry into practice across all the remaining psychology specialisms.

The Board’s drafting process has been layered and multi-faceted. In its first stage, the Board appointed a small group, comprising of national and international experts in professional regulation, education quality assurance and psychology, for the purpose of preparing an initial draft set of Standards. This initial drafting stage concluded in September 2025.

A second stage of work will commence during late Autumn 2025, where CORU will invite key stakeholders together as part of a series of facilitated co-design workshops to review this initial draft set of Standards. CORU will be in communication with identified stakeholders in early October 2025 with arrangements for these workshops.

As the process moves forward, updates will be provided on the CORU website and through our social media channels, along with continuing engagement with the professional body, the Psychological Society of Ireland.