CORU Registration for Psychotherapists in Ireland: What You Need to Know
Prepare now for mandatory statutory registration — before you're required to
⚠️ Current Status (2026)
CORU registration for psychotherapists and counsellors is not yet active. The profession is on CORU's register of designated professions, but the commencement order has not yet been signed. However, it is expected — and preparation now will save significant stress later.
What is CORU?
CORU (Comhairle um Ghairmithe Sláinte agus Cúraim Shóisialaigh) is Ireland's Health and Social Care Professionals Council. It is the statutory regulatory body for health and social care professions in Ireland, established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005.
CORU currently regulates 19 designated professions including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and social work. Psychotherapy and counselling are designated but not yet commenced.
Why Does CORU Matter for Psychotherapists?
Once CORU registration for psychotherapists commences:
- Using the title "Registered Psychotherapist" will be legally protected
- You may be required to register to practice professionally
- Health insurers and employers may require CORU registration
- Maintaining registration will require ongoing CPD evidence
- Failure to maintain registration could mean losing the right to practice
What CPD Will CORU Require?
While CORU hasn't published final CPD standards for psychotherapy yet, we can look at how it handles currently regulated professions as a guide.
CPD Requirements for Currently Regulated CORU Professions:
- Social Work: 40 CPD hours over 2 years, documented portfolio
- Physiotherapy: 60 CPD hours over 2 years with reflective practice
- Occupational Therapy: 60 CPD hours over 2 years
- Radiography: 40 hours over 2 years
Based on this pattern, psychotherapy will likely require 40–60 CPD hours every 2 years, with a documented portfolio.
CORU CPD Key Principles (Across All Professions)
CORU's CPD approach for regulated professions follows these principles:
- Documented evidence — you must keep records with dates, hours, and learning outcomes
- Reflective practice — CORU values written reflection on what you learned and how you applied it
- Relevance — CPD must relate to your area of practice
- Diverse activities — mix of formal and informal learning
- Portfolio approach — a structured folder of evidence, not just a list
Your Current IAHIP/IACP CPD Will Count
Good news: if you're already meeting your professional association's CPD requirements and keeping records, you're well-positioned for CORU. Here's how current CPD maps to anticipated CORU requirements:
| What You're Doing Now | CORU Equivalent | Ready? |
|---|---|---|
| Logging CPD hours in MyCPDLog | CORU CPD Record | ✅ |
| Storing certificates | Portfolio evidence | ✅ |
| IAHIP/IACP annual reports | CPD Activity Summary | ✅ |
| Supervision logs | Clinical Governance evidence | ✅ |
| Reflective notes on CPD | CORU reflective practice requirement | ⚠️ Add notes |
5 Steps to Prepare for CORU Now
The Bottom Line
CORU registration is coming. The exact timeline is unclear, but the habits you build now will determine how stressful that transition is. Therapists who have been systematically logging CPD, storing certificates, and maintaining supervision records will register with confidence. Those who haven't will scramble.
Start building your CORU-ready portfolio today. MyCPDLog is already designed with CORU requirements in mind.
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