Vol. 482 No. 6
436 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will extend the primary school's psychological service to schools in the north Kildare area in view of the reports supplied by a senior clinical psychologist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18628/97]
I am aware of the necessity for an educational psychological service to be available to all primary schools, including those in north County Kildare. There is currently no psychologist from the Department of Education and Science working in primary schools in the area. I have established a planning group to prepare proposals for the development of a National Educational Psychological Service. This planning group has started work. I have asked for its report to be available to me early in 1998.
As an interim measure, my Department, in co-operation with Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick, is making arrangements for the employment of educational psychologists in order to extend the service at primary school level. The selection process for these posts has already begun. When these additional posts are filled, the needs of children and of schools in County Kildare and in other areas will be borne in mind when the new psychologists are being deployed.
