Until the end of 2000 an educational psychologist employed by my Department in the national educational psychological service, NEPS provided a psychological service to all post-primary schools in County Cavan. This psychologist also had responsibilities in County Dublin. The area based partnership in Cavan also employed a psychologist to serve approximately 2,000 pupils in the county.
The new NEPS agency came into existence on 1 September 1999 with the 42 psychologists already employed in the service. The recruitment of additional psychologists involved the organisation of a competition through the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission. Notwithstanding the time consuming nature of such competitions there are now 82 psychologists in NEPS and by the end of this school year there will be 100 psychologists in the service. I also intend to proceed with the recruitment of a further 28 psychologists before the end of this calendar year. This will raise the staffing to 128 and greatly improve the service. This has allowed NEPS to enhance considerably the psychological service in the north-eastern region.
Two NEPS psychologists have recently been assigned to join the Cavan team and are based in Cavan town. They are continuing the service to post-primary schools and have taken responsibility for the schools previously served by the Cavan partnership. By June 2001, NEPS will be offering a psychological service to 27 primary schools in County Cavan. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to include schools in the Belturbet area in the current phase of expansion but this area will be included in the next phase.
When primary schools in the county have access to the NEPS service there will be five psychologists serving Counties Cavan and Monaghan.
I am not aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. However, I am mindful of the difficulties that have been experienced in gaining access to psychological assessments in urgent cases, pending the appointment of the full quota of psychologists for NEPS. I have recently announced funding of IR£1.25 million for an important new initiative aimed at addressing these difficulties. NEPS will be communicating details of the new scheme to all schools in June.
