Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 4

Written Answers. - Psychological Service.

John Bruton

Question:

95 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Meath had to spend £200 to get her son assessed by an educational psychologist when this service should be provided by his Department; the educational psychology services available to children in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15637/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

When I took up office as Minister for Education and Science, my Department provided a psychological service to all second level schools, to all national schools in County Tipperary, South Riding, and to those national schools in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Limerick designated as disadvantaged. The Department of Health and Children has held the lead responsibility for the provision of a psychological assessment service to national schools.

As I was aware of the need for all school children to have access to educational psychologists, I made a commitment, on taking up office, that my Department would eventually take on the responsibility of providing an educational psychological service that would be available to all schoolchildren. On 11 February last, I announced the decision by the Government to establish a National Educational Psychological Service Agency. The sum of £1.5 million was made available in last December's budget for the initial phase of this measure.

This agency will be formally established as and from 1 September 1999 and will begin to provide a service on that date. The process of recruiting additional psychologists for the agency has begun. An advertisement for additional staff has been placed and interviews for the new posts will be held shortly. It is envisaged that all schools will have access to the psychological service at the end of a five-year period, and it is hoped that there will be the nucleus of a psychological service in every county by the end of 1999.

The current situation in Meath is that my Department provides a psychological service to all second level schools in the county. The service has been enhanced within the past year by the assignment of a psychologist to a number of primary schools in the southern half of the county. Eventually, as I have stated, all schools in the county will have access to the national educational psychological service.

The national educational psychological service will be organised in close consultation with the Department of Health and Children, whose clinical services will also continue to provide help for families and children. It is important that the transfer of responsibility for the provision of a psychological service to schools should be carried out in an orderly and phased manner. Regular discussions will take place between the two Departments in order to avoid situations such as that raised by the Deputy.

John Bruton

Question:

96 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of funding allocated to the North-Eastern Health Board towards the provision of an educational psychology service for the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15638/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

My Department does not provide funding to any of the health boards for the purpose of providing educational psychology services.

On 11 February last, I announced the decision by the Government to establish a National Educational Psychological Service Agency, as an executive agency of my Department. This agency will be formally established as and from 1 September 1999 and will begin to provide a service on that date.

The national educational psychological service will be organised in close consultation with the Department of Health and Children, whose clinical services will also continue to provide help for families and children.