Denis Naughten
Question:171 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to increase the funding provided for the educational psychological service. [21860/01]
Written Answers. - Psychological Service.
The financial provision in my Department's Estimates for the general running costs of the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, has grown from IR£3.42 million in 2000 to IR£7.483 million in the current year. The current year's provision includes a special allocation of IR£1.25 million for a new scheme that I have introduced for the purchase of urgent psychological assessments from private practitioners pending the full development of the NEPS.
I recently announced plans for the accelerated development of the NEPS whereby additional psychologists will be appointed to bring the number employed by the service to 200 within the next 12 months. I am committed to ensuring that adequate funding will be made available to meet the needs of the expanding NEPS service.