Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Apr 1998

Vol. 490 No. 2

Written Answers - Psychological Service.

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Shortly after taking office. I announced my intention to establish a national educational psychological service. This is to be available to all primary and secondary schools as well as to preschool children. Proposals for the establishment of this service were included in the Programme for Government. A planning group which includes representatives of all the partners in education has been set up with the task of preparing detailed recommendations for the development of the psychological service. The work of the planning group is now well advanced and it is expected that it will report to me before the end of the current school year.

In order to meet the urgent need for an expanded educational psychological service in the primary sector, my Department is jointly organising with Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, a development project which will last for three years. Fifteen qualified psychologists have been recruited on a contract basis for the duration of the project. This increases the number of psychologists working in the primary sector from 13 to 28. The additional allocation in 1998 for expanding the psychological service is £550,000.

These psychologists are currently undergoing their induction training and will work in regional teams under the management of the psychological service in the Department of Education and Science. The schools selected to participate in the project will be contacted during this school term.

One of the first tasks of the newly appointed psychologists will be to carry out an analysis of needs in collaboration with the principals of the selected schools. This will include an estimate of the numbers of pupils requiring psychological assessment.

All post-primary schools and 402 primary schools are currently served by my Department's psychological service. It is estimated that, at any one time, there may be approximately 1,300 pupils in these schools awaiting psychological assessment by Department psychologists. This includes pupils who were previously assessed and are due for review of progress.

This figure does not include pupils who are awaiting assessment by psychologists employed by regional health boards or voluntary bodies or by psychologists who are in private practice.