Vol. 529 No. 1
1170 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science when the national educational psychological service will appoint a full-time educational psychologist to County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1324/01]
A senior educational psychologist of the National Educational Psychological Service agency – NEPS – lives and works full time in County Roscommon and provides a psychological service to all post-primary schools in the county. A total of 28 additional psychologists have been appointed to NEPS since last September and one of these has been assigned part-time to initiate a service to primary schools in County Roscommon. The NEPS development plan envisages that there will be four full-time psychologists working in County Roscommon and providing a psychological service to all schools by the end of the year 2003 at the latest.
1171 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to parliamentary Question No. 413 of 21 November 2000, he is in a position to report on the way in which the problem of costs incurred by parents in securing psychological assessments, where no service is provided by the State, might be alleviated, particularly in relation to the school in north Clondalkin which was the subject of the original question. [1333/01]
I recognise the need for some schools and parents to be able to gain access to psychological assessments, pending the appointment of the full quota of psychologists for NEPS. While my Department is unable to reimburse schools in respect of private assessments carried out in the past, the National Educational Psychological Service – NEPS – is currently developing proposals aimed at alleviating the situation.
