PRESS RELEASE 16^th March 2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CORU has been established by the government to regulate the health and social care professionals. The first of these to come under regulation are social workers. While the Irish Association of Social Workers has long advocated for the setting up of a registration agency and welcomes registration, the Association questions the high cost of registration. It is reported that an annual fee of 350 euro will be charged to each social worker, who must register whether working in the public or private sector. 

 “Many members and especially student social workers are very concerned at the high cost of registration” Ineke Durville, President of the Irish Association of Social Workers said, adding “the IASW welcomes registration and supports the work of CORU but we are very concerned at the 350 euro cost for social workers to register. Many social workers work in the public sector and have already been hit by wage cuts and the additional pension levy. We would urge CORU to consider the proposed charges in the light of the very difficult financial circumstances that many people are living through”. Ineke Durville also noted that social worker registration will be compulsory on all social workers once registration formally commences later this year. She also added that a similar registration in England requires social workers to register every three years whereas the requirement here will be annual registration and a annual charge.

ENDS.

For further information, please contact

Ineke Durville, President, Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW), 114-116 Pearse St., Dublin 2.

Contact:  01 6774838 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it