12 October 2026: The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP), representing more than 7,000 counsellors and psychotherapists, has formally lodged a complaint to the European Commission after the Minister for Health failed to pause the implementation of CORU’s new standards for counselling and psychotherapy.
The complaint relates to the IACP’s view that the legally required proportionality assessment was not properly carried out before the relevant regulatory provisions were adopted, due to the approach taken and maintained by the Minister for Health and CORU.
Despite repeated warnings from the IACP and other professional bodies, the Minister has failed to instruct CORU to pause the implementation of the Standards of Proficiency and Criteria for Education and Training Programmes for Counselling and Psychotherapy. If implemented as published, these standards will undermine established professional and training standards, reduce placement opportunities, restrict the future counselling and psychotherapy workforce, and limit public access to safe and appropriate mental health services.
The complaint asks the European Commission to examine whether the development and adoption of the Standards and Criteria complied with Directive (EU) 2018/958 and Ireland’s implementing regulations concerning proportionality assessments for regulated professions.
A legal opinion obtained by the IACP from senior counsel raised concerns about whether the relevant EU proportionality requirements had been adequately addressed. The IACP subsequently raised these concerns with the Minister for Health and CORU seeking changes to the proposed approach.
The IACP disputes the Department of Health’s position that the applicable EU proportionality requirements were satisfied and has referred the matter to the European Commission for examination.
Lisa Molloy, IACP Chief Executive Officer said:
“This is not an action we have taken lightly. The IACP has consistently supported robust statutory regulation of counselling and psychotherapy, but regulation must strengthen public protection in practice, not inadvertently weaken established standards or reduce access to services.”
“Our legal advice raises questions about whether the EU proportionality requirements were properly addressed in the development of this framework.”
“If these requirements proceed unchanged, there is a real risk of losing training and placement capacity and reducing the number of future practitioners at a time when access to counselling and psychotherapy is critically important. The consequences for accessibility, quality, and public protection could be significant and long-lasting.
“We are calling on the Minister to pause further implementation while the complaint is examined, engage meaningfully with the profession, educators, and placement providers, and ensure that the regulatory system strengthens, rather than destabilises, Ireland’s counselling and psychotherapy services.”
The IACP’s concerns about the framework include the absence of sufficiently defined training criteria for clinical supervision, the absence of a requirement for mandated personal therapy within therapist training, an unnecessarily high Level 9 training requirement for psychotherapists, and scope-of-practice distinctions that are unduly restrictive. The Association is concerned that these elements could create confusion for the public, make it more difficult for people to identify appropriate care, and increase the risk of vulnerable clients falling through gaps in services.
The IACP is also concerned about the potential impact on the future workforce. The Association understands that education and placement providers are assessing the implications of the new requirements for programme design and trainee placements. Any significant reduction in training or placement capacity could restrict the future supply of qualified practitioners and place further pressure on access to affordable counselling and psychotherapy.
The IACP believes that the issues raised also have implications beyond counselling and psychotherapy. Where other professions are brought within statutory regulation, regulatory requirements should be developed transparently and proportionately, based on appropriate evidence and meaningful engagement with the professions affected. Getting this process right is important not only for counselling and psychotherapy, but also for confidence in the wider system of professional regulation.
The IACP is calling on the Minister for Health to:
- Pause further implementation of the Standards and Criteria while the European Commission complaint is examined.
- Engage urgently with professional bodies, education providers, and placement providers.
- Ensure any revised standards are subject to a proportionality assessment which is consulted on with stakeholders, to ensure that such standards are evidence-based, proportionate, workable, and centred on public protection, while supporting the sustainability of Ireland’s counselling and psychotherapy workforce.
ENDS.