Irish Council for Psychotherapy

Politician(s) lobbied: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Butler (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pádraig Rice (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul McAuliffe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Sorca Clarke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: ICP lobbied to pause & revisit the proposed CORU Standards. ICP’s aim was to establish a Joint Working Group with the Department of Health to co-develop standards that protect the public while respecting the unique nature of psychotherapy. ICP sought more flexible, proportionate regulation & opposed mandatory personal therapy in training, advocating for diverse competency development methods. ICP aligned with IACP & CTI to advocate for alternatives to mandatory personal therapy.

Methods: MeetingEmailInformal communicationLetter

Politician(s) lobbied: Aengus Ó Snodaigh (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Barry Heneghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cormac Devlin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; David Cullinane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Malcolm Byrne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Senator), Seanad; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John McGuinness (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Liam Quaide (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Manus Boyle (Senator), Seanad; Maria Byrne (Senator), Seanad; Marie Sherlock (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Martin Daly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Butler (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Michael Cahill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Nicole Ryan (Senator), Seanad; Pádraig O'Sullivan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pádraig Rice (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul McAuliffe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Peter Roche (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Sorca Clarke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Teresa Costello (Senator), Seanad; Tom Clonan (Senator), Seanad

Intent: The ICP lobbying campaign includes submitting policy to the Minister for Health, engaging opposition Health Spokespersons, confirming meetings with Sinn Féin & the Oireachtas Health Committee, & securing support from Labour & Social Democrats. Registrants are mobilized to contact TDs using templates & constituency lists. A meeting with TDs held 13/11/2025 at Buswells Hotel. Media efforts include press releases, published letters, and outreach to European Psychotherapy Associations for support.::The lobbying efforts focus on engaging key stakeholders, political parties, & CORU, to address psychotherapy standards. Activities include meetings, briefings, press releases, & media campaigns to highlight concerns & propose a joint Working Group for co-developing standards. Future plans involve expanding outreach through political conferences, hosting international meetings, launching public safety campaigns, & leveraging media opportunities to sustain momentum & drive impactful change.

Methods: Informal communicationEmailMeetingLetterSubmission

Politician(s) lobbied: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health; Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice

Intent: Session Limitations is ICP’s central concern. Short-term psychotherapeutic support services are neither intended nor designed to address the psychological consequences of adverse & traumatic childhood experiences. Nor are they designed to identify & assess the different layers of psychological complexity within the student population. ICP want to be included in any emerging conversations; to contribute to the dialogue & make the case for the provision of psychotherapy in schools in Ireland.::To protect the high & rigorous standards of training; to approve the use of state-aided school funding to avail of the services of psychotherapists in private practice according to each school’s unique context, culture & environment; to amend the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 to make psychotherapy services VAT exempt in line with services provided by other health & social care professions including those of psychologists. These remain priority issues for ICP.

Methods: MeetingEmailLetter

Politician(s) lobbied: Helen McEntee (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education; Bernie McNally (Assistant Secretary), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Bernie McNally (Secretary General), Department of Education; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health; Mary Butler (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Butler (Minister of State), Department of Health

Intent: Session Limitations is ICP’s central concern. Short-term psychotherapeutic support services are neither intended nor designed to address the psychological consequences of adverse & traumatic childhood experiences. Nor are they designed to identify & assess the different layers of psychological complexity within the student population. ICP want to be included in any emerging conversations; to contribute to the dialogue & make the case for the provision of psychotherapy in schools in Ireland.::To protect the high & rigorous standards of training; to approve the use of state-aided school funding to avail of the services of psychotherapists in private practice according to each school’s unique context, culture & environment; to amend the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 to make psychotherapy services VAT exempt in line with services provided by other health & social care professions including those of psychologists. These remain priority issues for ICP.

Methods: LetterEmail

Politician(s) lobbied: Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Duncan Smith (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ged Nash (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Lou McDonald (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; David Cullinane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pearse Doherty (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Holly Cairns (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cian O'Callaghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Róisín Shorthall (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Stephen Donnelly (Minister), Department of Health

Intent: ICP launched a Pre-Budget 2025 Submission to Government, & General Election Manifesto addressed to all political parties. Both documents included a call for the inclusion of specific commitments by all parties in health/mental health, education & finance. ICP called on all political parties to include a commitment to implement several recommendations in its Health & Mental Health Manifestos for the general election.

Methods: EmailInformal communication

Politician(s) lobbied: Jack Chambers (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Stephen Donnelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Butler (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Norma Foley (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Bernie McNally (Secretary General), Department of Education; Mary Lou McDonald (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; David Cullinane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pearse Doherty (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Micheál Martin (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of the Taoiseach; Simon Harris (An Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach; Emer Higgins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Hildegarde Naughton (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Duncan Smith (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ged Nash (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Roderic O'Gorman (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Neasa Hourigan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pauline O'Reilly (Senator), Seanad; Holly Cairns (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cian O'Callaghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Róisín Shorthall (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: ICP launched a Pre-Budget 2025 Submission to Government, & General Election Manifesto addressed to all political parties. Both documents include a call for the inclusion of specific commitments by all parties in health/mental health, education & finance. ICP calls on all political parties to include a commitment to implement several recommendations in its Health & Mental Health Manifestos for the forthcoming general election.

Methods: MeetingInformal communicationLetterSubmissionEmail

Politician(s) lobbied: Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brendan Howlin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ged Nash (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Seán Kelly (MEP), European Parliament; Simon Harris (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Increased funding for mental health & move into funding community based psychotherapy.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Education; Josepha Madigan (Minister of State), Department of Education; Bernie McNally (Secretary General), Department of Education; Lara Hynes (Acting Assistant Secretary), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Elizabeth Canavan (Assistant Secretary), Department of the Taoiseach; Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brendan Howlin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ged Nash (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Seán Kelly (MEP), European Parliament; Simon Harris (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: ICP wrote to Minister Foley to request her to approve the use of state-aided school funding to avail of the services of psychotherapists in private practice according to each school’s unique context, culture, and environment. ICP urges Minister Foley to reconsider this position & to put in place a trialling of psychotherapy services purchased by grant-aid into a set of post-primary schools, with a review of its effectiveness to be carried out following a year of implementation.

Methods: EmailLetter

Politician(s) lobbied: David Cullinane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Róisín Shorthall (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Lahart (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Stephen Donnelly (Minister), Department of Health; Bernard Durkan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Neasa Hourigan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brendan Howlin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ged Nash (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Seán Kelly (MEP), European Parliament; Simon Harris (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: In summary, our recommendations in the submission to CORU are for: the development of clarity around the nature of the work of psychotherapists; the re-setting of the threshold level of training at Level 9; the inclusion within the framing of training programmes of personal psychotherapeutic experience; the revisiting of details around direct observation of clinical practice within training; the revisiting of details around practice placement context & clinical supervision.

Methods: MeetingEmailLetter

Politician(s) lobbied: David Cullinane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Róisín Shorthall (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Duncan Smith (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Lahart (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Stephen Donnelly (Minister), Department of Health; Mary Butler (Minister of State), Department of Health; Seán Crowe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Bernard Durkan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cathal Crowe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Neasa Hourigan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gino Kenny (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Frances Black (Senator), Seanad; Lorraine Clifford-Lee (Senator), Seanad; Martin Conway (Senator), Seanad; Annie Hoey (Senator), Seanad; Seán Kyne (Senator), Seanad; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aisling Dolan (Senator), Seanad

Intent: In summary, our recommendations in the submission to CORU are for: the development of clarity around the nature of the work of psychotherapists; the re-setting of the threshold level of training at Level 9; the inclusion within the framing of training programmes of personal psychotherapeutic experience; the revisiting of details around direct observation of clinical practice within training; the revisiting of details around practice placement context & clinical supervision.

Methods: Meeting