Validation of Foreign Qualifications for certain Designated Grades

The Minister for Health and Children has directed that certain grades of staff, holding a foreign qualification, may not be employed in the Health Services unless their qualifications have been validated by the designated authority. A list of grades requiring validation is set out below.

In accordance with S.I No.1 of 1991 the following grades require validation from 4^th January 1991.

• Analytical Chemist
• Biochemist
• Diagnostic or Therapeutic Radiographer
• Dietician
• Environmental Health Officer
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Microbiologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Optician
• Orthopist
• Pharmacist
• Psychologist
• Physicist
• Physiotherapist
• Radiographer
• Social Worker
• Speech and Language Therapist

In accordance with S.I No.135 of 1996 the following grades require validation from 21^st May 1996.

• Audiometrician
• Dental Craftsperson
• Chiropodist

Under the EC Directive on the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, the Minister for Health and Children has been named as the Designated Authority with the responsibility for validating EU qualifications. A person with a non-EU qualification, wishing to work in the Health Services, must also first have their qualification validated.

It is important to note that no one applying on the basis of a foreign qualification for a post listed above is permitted to take up that post unless their qualification has been validated by the Minister for Health and Children or by the designated validating body. The employment of an officer whose qualifications are not validated is contrary to Departmental policy and may cause substantial difficulties for the employer involved, particularly in relation to matters of medical indemnity.

* For certain grades the Minister has delegated the validation of foreign qualifications to the following bodies.

Validation of Qualifications

Under EC Directive 89/48 on the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, the Minister for Health has been named as the Designated Authority with the responsibility for validating non-national qualifications. As you wish to have your qualification assessed, the following documentation is required by this department in order to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your qualification:

1. A copy of your original diploma/degree and a transcript of all examination results showing subjects studied and grades obtained;
2. A certified statement from the relevant educational institute detailing the syllabus of the course of education and training which you undertook i.e subjects taken in each year, subject content, number of hours of study in each subject, type of practice placements ( i.e location, duration, supervision etc.);
3. Documentation to indicate that your qualification entitles you to practice in the (country where you qualified);
4. Details of your professional experience, if any, (i.e name(s) and address(es) of employer(s), type of hospital institution, employment commencement and cessation dates, title of post held, full-time status, practical experience in the profession);
5. Evidence of your professional experience (i.e letters of confirmation from your employer(s), references etc.);
6. Documentary proof of citizenship of a Member State of the European Union (i.e birth certificate and passport details).

People with foreign qualifications who have not completed the validation process may not work in the Irish public health sector.

If you have any further queries on the matter, please do not hesitate to contact Ruth Dunne at 01 635 4041 or Email: ruthdunne@health.irlgov.ie

Please forward your documentation to the following address:
Ruth Dunne,
Personnel Management and Development
Department of Health and Children
Hawkins House
Dublin 2