Vol. 487 No. 6
326 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on level of service considered reasonable for psychological assessment of students in primary school; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some pupils in national schools in County Cork are facing waiting lists of up to six months for assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4633/98]
The planning group for the national educational psychological service is to report to me within the next two months. It is examining the current availability of psychological services to children and young people, and will be making recommendations as to the developments which will be necessary in order to ensure effective provision for the future.
It is unlikely that the planning group will recommend the adoption of any one specific ratio of psychologist to children. This is because the level of need will vary according to circumstances. In assigning psychologists to schools, account will be taken of such factors as the level of socio-economic disadvantage, whether there has previously been a schools' psychological service and the availability of other psychological services provided by health boards and voluntary agencies.
At present, my Department provides a psychologocal service to national schools designated as disadvantaged in the city of Cork. The provisions of psychological assessments for national schools in the county of Cork is a matter for the directors of community care of the regional health board, as is the issue of waiting lists.
In order to meet the current need for a psychological service in the primary sector, my Department is recruiting, in collaboration with Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, 15 qualified psychologists to be employed on three year contracts. These psychologists will be taking up their duties during the current term, and details of the areas to which they will be assigned will be announced shortly.
