Caoimhe Mc Glinchey

ETCMA Representative

Caoimhe Mc Glinchey

Website

www.afpa.ie

Founding date

Founded in 1987

Membership information

Members	280
Member categories	Practicing and non practicing members
Membership fee	€115 full membership €25 non practicing (€160 for insurance made payable directly to insurance company)
Basic training required	1200 verifiable contact hours
Required continuing education	Practitioners must gain 4 CPD points per year and produce certificate for it (1CPD = 1 day of lecture)
Requirements for continuing membership	none
Becoming a member	Practitioner will fill out application and college verification form and then is called for an interview with a panel. The panel then submit their recommendations to the board and applicant is then admitted following decision of the board. An exam will be put in place shortly for applicants

Approximately 650 acupuncturists in total in the country and all operate under common law. There are now 6 professional associations that have formed a steering committee with a few to federating into one over arching council. At present all regulation is voluntary but the Dept of Health has been facilitating talks between the associations.

Patients pay for treatment privately but up to 50% of this is reimbursed by healthcare insurers.