Vol. 482 No. 3
395 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason students in areas not classified as disadvantaged cannot obtain an educational assessment by a psychologist; his views on whether a service must be provided equally to all pupils with an established need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17967/97]
The Department of Education established a schools psychological service for second-level schools in the autumn of 1965. All schools in this sector have a psychologist assigned to them, regardless of whether they have disadvantaged status or not. Psychological advice to pupils, parents and teachers is provided as time and resources allow.
A pilot project, staffed by four psychologists, to develop a psychological service for primary schools commenced in 1990, and a further ten psychologists were appointed in 1995 in order to allow for the expansion of the Department of Education's psychological service to primary schools. As staffing did not permit the provision of a service to all national schools, it was decided to assign these psychologists, as a matter of priority, to national schoools serving disadvantaged areas in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Limerick. In addition, national schools in the original pilot project in West Tallaght-Clondalkin and South Tipperary continue to have access to the psychological service.
It is my policy that the schools psychological service at both levels will be expanded so that all pupils shall have access to it. This will proceed on a phased basis as resources permit. I have established a planning group for the national educational psychological service, and this will report to me in early 1998.
