Fitness Professionals Ireland (FPI), a nationwide independent register that has been backed by the European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA), has been officially launched.

The new register for Irish exercise and health professionals took two years to develop and is now fully integrated with the European Register of Exercise Professionals (EREPS)

FPI is aiming to register around 600 professionals during its first year of operation, with its members meeting prescribed minimum standards of good practice.

Active IQ has confirmed that Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) will support the new register, with the institution registering its exercise and fitness learners with the new register.

EREPS director Cliff Collins said: "The development of FPI has been undertaken thoroughly and comprehensively to provide a unified register for Ireland. FPI is founded on the agreed European standards for exercise professionals.

"Ireland has shown a lead in many areas of European development in the area of qualifications and the launch of FPI is a further positive move in this direction."

DkIT's Michael McCorry added: "The fact that [the register] is fully approved and recognised by EHFA allows us to feel confident that our students will gain membership onto a credible register."

Details: www.fitnessprofessionalsireland.ie

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