Emmet Stagg
Question:302 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction the appointment of a psychologist to cover the remainder of the primary schools in north County Kildare. [6981/00]
Written Answers. - Psychological Service.
A competition for recruitment to the National Educational Psychological Service – NEPS – agency is currently being organised by the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners. This is now at a very advanced stage and it is envisaged that it will result in the doubling of the current number of psychologists working in the agency by the end of the year.
The overall allocation of psychologists to the regions will be largely based on the projected student numbers in each. In the interests of equity, it is proposed that each cohort of psychologists will be shared among the regions on a pro rata basis, until each region has reached its staffing quota. On this basis, it seems likely that there could be up to seven psychologists assigned to County Kildare by the end of the five-year development period for NEPS. This number may be adjusted in the light of changes in student numbers.