Vol. 509 No. 1
322 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science when an assessment will take place for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 who is in need of special assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19448/99]
The national educational psychological service agency was established on 1 September 1999 and recruitment of additional psychologists to the service is currently taking place. The development of this new service is taking place in a phased way. It is envisaged that pupils in all schools will have access to the service by the end of a five year period.
One of the issues which is being considered by the agency is the question of how interim support may be provided to students and schools, including the student and school referred to in the question, that do not yet have access to the service. My Department is currently in discussion with the Department of Health and Children in relation to the undertaking by the health boards of urgent psychological assessments, during the development phase of the national educational psychological service. The two Departments concerned will make every effort to arrive at an early satisfactory solution to this interim difficulty. The needs of the student referred to have been brought to the attention of the agency.
