Minimum Training Conditions (Health Care Professions)

L.N. 181 of 2026

MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS ACT

(CAP. 451)

Minimum Training Conditions (Health Care Professions)

(Amendment) Regulations, 2026

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 8 of the Mutual

Recognition of Qualifications Act, the Minister responsible for

education has made the following regulations:-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Minimum Citation and

Training Conditions (Health Care Professions) (Amendment) scope.

Regulations, 2026 and these regulations shall be read and construed as

one with the Minimum Training Conditions (Health Care Professions) S.L. 451.04.

Regulations, hereinafter referred to as the "principal regulations".

(2) The purpose of these regulations is to transpose the

provisions of the Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2024/782 of 4

March 2024 amending Directive 2005/36/EC of the European

Parliament and of the Council as regards the minimum training

requirements for the professions of nurse responsible for general care,

dental practitioner and pharmacist.

In regulation 2 of the principal regulations, immediately Amends

after the words "on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications", regulation

the principal

there shall be added the words "certain provisions of Directive 2013/ regulations.

55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November

2013 amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of

professional qualifications and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on

administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information

System ("the IMI Regulation"), as well as Commission Delegated

Directive (EU) 2024/782 of 4 March 2024 amending Directive 2005/

36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the

minimum training requirements for the professions of nurse

responsible for general care, dental practitioner and pharmacist".

Sub-regulation (6) of regulation 3 of the principal Amends

regulation 3 of

regulations shall be amended as follows

the principal

regulations.

(a) paragraph (d) thereof shall be substituted by the

following new paragraph

"(d) the ability to participate in the practical training

of health personnel and experience of working with such

personnel and with members of other professions in the

health sector;";

(b) paragraph (e) thereof shall be substituted by the

following new paragraph

"(e) the ability to provide individualised nursing care

and to empower patients, relatives and other relevant

persons in relation to self-care and leading a healthy

lifestyle;";

(c) immediately after paragraph (e), as substituted, there

shall be added the following new paragraphs

"(f) the ability to develop an effective leadership

approach and decision-making skills;

(g) knowledge of technical innovations related to

healthcare and nursing methods.".

In paragraph (e) of sub-regulation (3) of regulation 4 of the

principal regulations the words "appropriate supervision." shall be

substituted by the words "appropriate supervision;" and immediately

thereafter there shall be added the following new paragraph

"(f) adequate knowledge of digital dentistry and a good

understanding of its safe use and application in practice.".

In paragraph (e) of sub-regulation (4) of regulation 7 of the

principal regulations the words "practice of pharmacy." shall be

substituted by the words "practice of pharmacy;" and immediately

thereafter there shall be added the following new paragraphs

"(f) adequate knowledge of clinical pharmacy and

pharmaceutical care, as well as the skills for their practical

application;

(g) adequate knowledge and skills in public health and its

repercussions in health promotion and disease management;

(h) adequate knowledge and skills on interdisciplinary

and multidisciplinary collaboration, interprofessional practice

and communication;

(i) adequate knowledge of information technology and

digital technology and skills on practical application.".

The Schedule to the principal regulations shall be Substitutes the

Schedule to the

substituted by the following new Schedule

principal

regulations.

"SCHEDULE

Part 1

Training programme for nurses responsible for general care

The training leading to the award of a formal qualification of

nurses responsible for general care shall consist of the following parts

A.

Theoretical instruction

a. Nursing

b. General Health

c. Social Sciences

d. Science

Sciences

and

technology

- e-health

- Nature, ethics and

- Anatomy and

- Sociology

general principles of

physiology

- Psychology

health and nursing

- Pathology

including person-

- Principles of

centered care theories - Bacteriology,

administration and

virology and

management

- Nursing principles

parasitology

in relation to

- Principles of

- Biophysics,

teaching

- general and

bio-chemistry and

specialist medicine

- Social

and

radiology

health legislation

- general and

- Dietetics

specialist surgery

- Legal aspects of

- Hygiene

nursing

- child care and

paediatrics

- Preventive

medicine

- maternity care

- Health education

- mental health and

psychiatry

- Pharmacology

- care of the elderly

and geriatrics

- Evidence-based

nursing practice and

research

b. Clinical Instruction

- Nursing in relation to

- general and

specialist medicine

- general and

specialist surgery

- child care and

paediatrics

- maternity care

- mental health and

psychiatry

- care of the elderly

and geriatrics

- nursing care in

community settings

- person-centred

approach

- science and

technology

- e-health

One or more of these subjects may be taught in the context of the

other disciplines or in conjunction therewith.

The theoretical instruction shall be weighted and coordinated with

the clinical instruction in such a way that the knowledge and skills

referred to in this Schedule may be acquired in an adequate fashion.

Part 2

Study programme for dental practitioners

The programme of studies leading to evidence of formal

qualifications in dentistry shall include at least the following subjects.

One or more of these subjects may be taught in the context of the

other disciplines or in conjunction therewith.

A. Basic Subjects

B. Medico-biological

C. Subjects directly

subjects and general medical

related to dentistry

subjects

- Chemistry

- Anatomy

- Prosthodontics

- Physics

- Embryology

- Dental materials and

equipment

- Biology, genetics and

- Histology, including

regenerative

cytology

- Conservative dentistry

medicine

- Physiology

- Preventive dentistry

- Biochemistry (or

- Anaesthetics and

physiological chemistry)

sedation

- Pathological anatomy

- Special surgery

- General pathology

- Special pathology

- Pharmacology

- Clinical practice

- Microbiology

- Paedodontics

- Hygiene

- Orthodontics

- Preventive medicine and

- Periodontics

dental public health

- Dental radiology

- Radiology

- Dental occlusion and

- Physiotherapy

function of the jaw

- General surgery

- Practice management,

professionalism, ethics

- General medicine

and legislation

including paediatrics

- Social aspects of

- Oto-rhino laryngology

dental practice

- Dermato-venereology

- Gerodontology

- Oral implantology

- General psychology

- Interprofessional

- Psychopathology

collaborative care

- Digital technology

- Neuropathology

in dentistry

- Anaesthetics

- Immunology

Part 3

Training programme for midwives (Training types I and II)

The training programme for obtaining evidence of formal

qualifications in midwifery consists of the following parts

A. Theoretical and technical instruction

A. General Subjects

B. Subjects specific to the activities of

midwives

- Basic anatomy and physiology

- Anatomy and physiology

- Basic pathology

- Embryology and development of the

foetus

- Basic bacteriology, virology and

parasitology

- Pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium

- Basic biophysics, biochemistry and

- Gynaecological and obstetrical

radiology

pathology

- Paediatrics, with particular reference to

- Preparation for childbirth and

new-born infant

parenthood, including psychological

aspects

- Hygiene, health education, preventive

medicine, early diagnosis of diseases

- Preparation for delivery (including

knowledge and use of technical

- Nutrition and dietetics, with particular

equipment in obstetrics)

reference to women, new-born and

young babies

- Analgesia, anaesthesia and

resuscitation

- Basic sociology and socio-medical

questions

- Physiology and pathology of the new-

- Basic pharmacology

born infant

- Psychology

- Care and supervision of the new-born

infant

- Principles and methods of teaching

- Psychological and social factors

- Health and social legislation and health

organization

- Professional ethics and professional

legislation

- Sex education and family planning

- Legal protection of mother and infant

B. Practical and clinical training

This training is to be dispensed under appropriate supervision

- Advising

of

pregnant

women,

involving

at

least

pre-natal

examinations

- Supervision and care of at least 40 pregnant women.

- Conduct by the student of at least 40 deliveries; where this number cannot

be reached owing to the lack of available women in labour, it may be reduced to a

minimum of 30, provided that the student assists with 20 further deliveries.

- Active participation with breech deliveries. Where this is not possible

because of lack of breech deliveries, practice may be in a simulated situation.

- Performance of episiotomy and initiation into suturing. Initiation shall

include theoretical instruction and clinical practice.

- The practice of suturing includes suturing of the wound following an

episiotomy and a simple perineal laceration. This may be in a simulated situation if

absolutely necessary.

- Supervision and care of 40 women at risk in pregnancy, or labour or post-

natal period.

- Supervision and care (including examination) of at least 100 post-natal

women and healthy new-born infants.

- Observation and care of new-born requiring special care, including those

born pre-term, post-term, underweight or ill.

- Care of women with

pathological

conditions

in

the

fields of

gynaecology and obstetrics.

- Initiation into care in the field of medicine and surgery. Initiation shall include

theoretical instruction and clinical practice.

The theoretical and technical training (Part A of the training

programme) shall be balanced and coordinated with the clinical

training (Part B of the same programme) in such a way that the

knowledge and experience listed in this Schedule may be acquired in

an adequate manner.

Clinical instruction shall take the form of supervised in-service

training in hospital departments or other health services approved by

the competent authorities or bodies. As part of this training, student

midwives shall participate in the activities of the departments

concerned insofar as those activities contribute to their training. They

shall be taught the responsibilities involved in the activities of

midwives.

Part 4

Course of training for pharmacists

- Plant and animal biology

- Physics

- General and inorganic chemistry

- Organic chemistry

- Analytical chemistry

- Pharmaceutical chemistry, including analysis of medicinal products

- General and applied biochemistry (medical)

- Anatomy and physiology, pathology and pathophysiology; medical

terminology

- Microbiology

- Pharmacology and pharmacotherapy

- Pharmaceutical technology

- Biopharmaceutical technology

- Toxicology

- Pharmacognosy

- Legislation and, where appropriate, professional ethics.

- Genetics and pharmacogenomics

- Immunology

- Clinical Pharmacy

- Pharmaceutical Care

- Social Pharmacy

- Public health, including epidemiology

- Pharmacy practice

- Pharmacoeconomics

The balance between theoretical and practical training shall, in

respect of each subject, give sufficient importance to theory to maintain

the university character of the training.

€0.72