When the national educational psychological service, NEPS, was established in September 1999, there were 46 psychologists serving. Since that time, the numbers have increased almost three-fold, with 127 psychologists now serving, including seven new entrants who took up duty since the beginning of this year. In addition, there are approximately 16 other educational psychologists in the wider educational sector, including Dublin city and county vocational education committees and residential institutions for young offenders, bringing the total number of psychologists in the system to 143.
In light of the Government decision on Civil Service numbers, my Department does not propose to recruit any more psychologists before the end of the year. Government policy on public sector numbers, along with budgetary provisions in 2004 and subsequent years, will determine the rate of further recruitment of psychologists to NEPS.