Olwyn Enright
Question:201 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of people employed in the psychological service; if there are staff shortages in this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14986/02]
Written Answers. - Psychological Service.
The planning group that prepared proposals for the National Educational Psychological Service Agency, NEPS, recommended an overall target number of 200 psychologists in the educational system as a whole and 36 administrative and secretarial staff. It also recommended that this target should be achieved over a period of five years, beginning during the school year 1999-2000. The Government made a decision in early 1999 that these recommendations should be implemented.
The NEPS agency came into existence on 1 September 1999 with the 43 psychologists already employed in my Department. The recruitment of additional psychologists involved the organisation of competitions through the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission. Notwithstanding the time consuming nature of such competitions, there are now more than 80 psychologists in NEPS, in addition to a number of psychologists deployed elsewhere in the educational system, bringing the overall total up to almost 100.
The Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners have recently conducted a recruitment competition for additional psychologists in NEPS, and 69 successful candidates have been placed on a panel. As the commission clears candidates, my Department is issuing offers of employment. It is envisaged that most of these psychologists will be in post by the end of 2002. Once 43 of them have taken up their employment, the original target set by the Government decision for the year 2002 will have been reached.
Currently there are 13 administrative staff assigned to NEPS, including three in specialist IT roles, and further assignments while be made during the current year.
Question No. 202 answered with Question No. 155.