Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 1

Written Answers. - Psychological Service.

Marian Harkin

Question:

328 Ms Harkin asked the Minister for Education and Science the person responsible for deciding to ignore the recommendations of a NEPS psychologist who assessed four pupils as requiring resource hours (details supplied) and consequently three of these children have been denied the help they need. [15327/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The four pupils concerned were not assessed by a NEPS psychologist but by a private practitioner who conducted the assessments under the terms of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments. Before Christmas, a survey conducted by the Department's inspectorate indicated a significant number of anomalies in the applications for extra resources. My Department therefore decided to review the two most recent rounds of applications. In view of the confidential nature of professional reports on individual children, NEPS psychologists were asked to conduct this review.

In this case a NEPS psychologist checked the data supplied in all the available professional reports to see if they complied with the criteria in the circular letters and informed special education section of their findings. The reports supplied by the psychologist in private practice have not been ignored. They provide valuable guidelines for those who are working with the children assessed. The assessment findings are not in dispute but it has been found in some cases that recommendations had been made for the allocation of extra resources, although the assessment data did not conform to the specific criteria outlined in circular letters 7/02 and 8/02.