Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 5th February, 2016.

I, LEO VARADKAR, Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 95(3)(a) (amended by section 37 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (No. 33 of 2014)) of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005) (as adapted by the Health and Children (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 219 of 2011 )), after consulting the Optical Registration Board and any organisations that I consider appropriate, hereby make the following regulations with respect to which, pursuant to section 95(7) of that Act, a draft has been laid before each House of the Oireachtas and a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each such House:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Section 95(3)) (Variation of title: Optician) Regulations 2016.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 March 2016.

2. In these Regulations “Act of 2014” means the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (No. 33 of 2014).

3. For the purposes of section 95(3)(a) (amended by section 37 of the Act of 2014) of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005), the title of optician is prescribed as a variant of the title of optometrist specified in section 4(1) (amended by section 6 of the Act of 2014) of that Act and may, in addition to the title of optometrist, be used by registrants of that profession.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

3 February 2016.

LEO VARADKAR,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

These regulations prescribe the title of optician as a variant of the specified title of optometrist and provide that the title of optician may, in addition to the title of optometrist, be used by registrants of the profession of optometrist.