Vol. 546 No. 3
386 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if only two assessments per year are funded in respect of dyslexia for primary students attending the Presentation Convent girls' national school, Maynooth, County Kildare; if he will provide funding to enable all pupils to be properly assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31544/01]
The scheme for commissioning psychological assessments has been operating since September 2001. I provided funding of 1.59 million – IR£1.25million – for this scheme with the main objective of allowing access to psychological assessments for those schools to which the national educational psychological service (NEPS) does not yet offer a service. The Presentation Convent girls' national school in Maynooth is therefore eligible to avail of this scheme.
Full details of the scheme were issued to the principals of all primary and post-primary schools in August 2001 by NEPS. Details are also available on my Department's website. It applies to pupils with any kind of learning difficulty, not solely to those with suspected dyslexia. This is a temporary arrangement, pending the expansion of the full NEPS service to all schools.
