Our History
Due to the lack of statutory registration for addiction counselling in the 1970s and 1980s, the Irish Association of Alcohol and Addiction Counsellors (IAAAC) was formed in 1990. This was a crucial development for the progression of addiction counseling and psychotherapy professions in Ireland. In 2013, the IAAAC was restructured as The Addiction Counsellors of Ireland. This was done to better represent modern membership, comply with new alcohol and drug policies, and establish stronger frameworks for representing addiction professions in the twenty-first century
Protecting the Public
We provide an essential primary service for those seeking addiction support by ensuring our accredited members meet a high standard of competence in clinical practice:
- Accredited members must meet established criteria in education and training
- Members are bound by our code of ethics, which establishes and maintains standards for addiction workers, counsellors and psychotherapists
- Members must undertake Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to ensure they maintain competency and a commitment to life-long learning
Our Vision
The Addiction Counsellors of Ireland looks forward to a future where those suffering from addiction can openly seek professional help from an accredited counsellor, where addiction in Ireland is no longer dealt with behind closed doors and the stigma associated with addiction is put aside.
Our Mission
The Addiction Counsellors of Ireland strives to be a leading professional accreditation association for counsellors in the field of addiction in Ireland.
