Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Apr 2000

Vol. 517 No. 6

Written Answers. - Psychological Service.

Brian O'Shea

Question:

440 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will appoint at least one educational psychologist for primary schools to County Waterford for the 1999/2000 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10881/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that an educational psychologist will be appointed to work in primary schools in Waterford in the current calendar year. The Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission is currently completing the process of recruiting additional suitably qualified psychologists and, as a result, my Department will be in a position to appoint up to 50 additional psychologists during the current year. This will double the present number of psychologists in NEPS.

A national policy advisory board of NEPS has been set up to advise me on the development of the agency. All the main client groups and other providers of psychological services are represented on this board and they will be advising me, through the management committee, on possible strategies to meet the current need for psychological support in schools, taking account of evidence of disadvantage, incidence of special needs and the level of access to other psychological services. In the interest of equity, it is proposed that new psychologists will be distributed on a pro rata basis among the regions until each has reached its target number, which will be determined by the evidence of need. The management team in NEPS has been collecting relevant data on the needs of each county and will supplement this with local discussions. It is envisaged that all schools will have access to NEPS by the end of 2004.