Vol. 480 No. 6
615 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education when an appointment with a child psychologist will be made for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9, who has been waiting for almost 18 months, further to previous correspondence (details supplied); if he will make a statement on general delays for this service. [14990/97]
The matter of this child's long wait for an assessment was first brought to the attention of my Department in June 1997, shortly before the schools closed for the summer break. The child attends one of the primary schools served by my Department's psychological service. Now that the new term has started, the psychologist concerned will arrange to assess the child during his next visit to the school.
Members of my Department's psychological service who are deployed in primary schools carry out assessments as the resources of time and personnel allow. After consultation with school principals, the psychologists give priority to pupils who are perceived in school to be most urgently in need of psychological help. Because of the constraints of time, it is possible that some pupils may have to wait longer than is ideal for assessment. Parents who are concerned about any apparent delay may approach the psychological service directly for advice.
