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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 1

Written Answers. - Psychological Services.

Charles Flanagan

Question:

377 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no psychological service for primary school children in County Laois; the reason for the omission of this service in County Laois in view of the fact that other counties have this service; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the Midland Health Board will only assess those children deemed to be potential pupils of special schools; the options available to children with specific learning disabilities in the County Laois area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26541/98]

My Department currently provides a psychological service to primary schools in 14 counties. This means there still remain many schools without access to my Department's psychological service, including primary schools in County Laois. To ensure that the highest standards of professional practice are maintained, it is necessary that the expansion of the psychological service into all areas should take place in a phased and orderly manner, as resources become available.

One of my key priorities as Minister is the establishment of a national educational psychological service, to be available to all schools at both levels. On 15 September, I launched and endorsed the report of the planning group, which has prepared recommendations for me on how a national educational psychological service may best be introduced. Last week, I announced the allocation of £1.5 million to provide for the establishment and initial staffing of the service over the next two years. Subject to the approval of Government, implementation of the report will begin in 1999. It is my intention that the national educational psychological service will be available to all schools by the end of the five year implementation phase.
One of the key recommendations in the planning group's report is that the national educational psychological service should be co-ordinated with psychological services in the health sector. Consultations with these services, including those provided by the Midland Health Board, will begin shortly in order to reach agreement on respective roles and client groups. In this way, it is hoped to ensure that as many students as possible have access to psychological help, even during the implementation period.
The needs of primary school pupils with specific learning disability are generally capable of being met within the ordinary school system with the assistance, where appropriate, of a remedial teacher. The advice of my Department's primary inspectorate is also available to schools in which there are children with specific learning disability.
Fully qualified primary school teachers are trained to deal with a variety of reading problems, including those problems which are accompanied by specific perceptual difficulties. In addition, the national training programme for remedial teachers, which my Department funds, includes a module on specific learning disability. I announced last week in my post-budget statement that, from next September, a remedial teacher service will be available to all primary schools. It is intended that each remedial teacher will deal with no more than approximately 30 pupils. This represents a substantial improvement in the availability of remedial help for children with learning difficulties.
I intend to keep the needs of children with specific learning disability under review in my Department.
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