HOW TO HIRE · HEALTH & WELLBEING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a dietitian in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A dietitian in Ireland costs €70–€160 per session, typically around €100. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
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THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a dietitian in five steps
- Are you on the CORU register for that profession, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — support for Health Conditions — dietitians offer specialised support for managing health conditions like obesity, heart disease, and food allergies.
- How does their experience change the price?Reputation is the reason two quotes for one job differ so much. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of your dietary needs change the price?An unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of consultations change the price?A longer session costs more than a short one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Dietitian consultations typically do not include medical diagnoses or treatments, which should be handled by a healthcare provider — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a dietitian job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
the CORU register
CORU REGULATES BY PROTECTED TITLE, NOT BY WHAT SOMEBODY DOES. Where a title is protected, only a registrant may use it — the physiotherapists' register opened in 2016 and the title became protected once the grandparenting period closed. CORU's registers are open for dietitians, medical scientists, occupational therapists, optometrists and dispensing opticians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, radiographers and radiation therapists, social workers, speech and language therapists and social care workers. Search the name on Check the Register at coru.ie before you book, and if the registration number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there. Not restricted: the treatment itself, where the title is the thing protected — so ask what qualification, from whom, and check the register that does exist.
Search the CORU register for that profession for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. coru.ie →
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance — ask for the insurer and the limit, because for a hands-on treatment it is the only real recourse. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
Identity
Providers on Locufy prove who they are with photo ID before they can be booked; the ID-checked badge shows who has done it, and the document itself is deleted once the check is made. For a dietitian coming into your home it is the cheapest check there is.
Look for the ID-checked badge on the card, before you message anyone.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — support for Health Conditions — dietitians offer specialised support for managing health conditions like obesity, heart disease, and food allergies.
A good answer: Reputation is the reason two quotes for one job differ so much. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: An unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A longer session costs more than a short one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Dietitian consultations typically do not include medical diagnoses or treatments, which should be handled by a healthcare provider — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a dietitian job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance — ask for the insurer and the limit, because for a hands-on treatment it is the only real recourse — nutritional Education — dietitians provide education on various nutrition topics, such as understanding food labels, portion control, and the benefits of different food groups.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the dietitian starts, and an itemised invoice after — nutritional Assessment — A dietitian will conduct a thorough nutritional assessment to understand your dietary habits and health goals.
Getting the quote right
- Their experience — reputation is the reason two quotes for one job differ so much.
- Complexity of your dietary needs — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted.
- Duration of consultations — a longer session costs more than a short one.
- Any specialised services required — intricate work needs a steadier hand and more time.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They are not on the CORU register for that profession, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
- They will not talk about it: their experience — reputation is the reason two quotes for one job differ so much
- They will not talk about it: complexity of your dietary needs — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted
- They will not talk about it: duration of consultations — a longer session costs more than a short one
- A price for the dietitian before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
What a dietitian costs: €70–€160 per session
The figures are for the job, per session, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Nutritional assessment and Meal planning each carry their own band. Dietitian price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Dietitians near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstTheir experience — reputation is the reason two quotes for one job differ so much — that is what the dietitian is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of your dietary needs — an unusual brief takes longer to understand before it can be quoted — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of consultations — a longer session costs more than a short one — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherAny specialised services required — intricate work needs a steadier hand and more time — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the dietitian is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, overall condition of the client’s health — years of use leave more to put right than a recent job.
- Nutritional Assessment
- A dietitian will conduct a thorough nutritional assessment to understand your dietary habits and health goals.
- Nutritional Education
- Dietitians provide education on various nutrition topics, such as understanding food labels, portion control, and the benefits of different food groups.
- Support for Health Conditions
- Dietitians offer specialised support for managing health conditions like obesity, heart disease, and food allergies.
- Weight Management Coaching
- Providing support and strategies for clients looking to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Chronic Disease Management
- Guiding clients on dietary modifications to help manage conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
- Sports Nutrition Consultation
- Advising athletes on optimal nutrition for performance and recovery.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a dietitian: questions people ask
The cost of hiring a dietitian can vary based on their experience, location, and the complexity of your dietary needs. Specialised services may also incur higher fees.
A typical consultation with a dietitian can last anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Follow-up sessions may be shorter, depending on the progress and needs of the client.
Availability for emergency or same-day appointments varies by dietitian. It's best to check directly with the dietitian's practice to see if they can accommodate urgent requests.
Yes, many dietitians allow clients to book multiple sessions in advance, which can sometimes lead to discounted rates. Discuss this option during your initial consultation.
Dietitian consultations typically do not include medical diagnoses or treatments, which should be handled by a healthcare provider. Additionally, they do not provide meal preparation or cooking services.
Search the name or the registration number. If the number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in health & wellbeing
Dietitians near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- CORU — public protection FAQs: which registers are open
- CORU — the registration boards
- CORU — Physiotherapists Registration Board
- Citizens Information — registration of health and social care professionals
- Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010, Schedule 1 — exempt activities
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — STRESS COUNSELLING (Medical and miscellaneous services) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only