Vol. 572 No. 3
299 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils awaiting assessment for special needs assistance in both primary and secondary schools in County Kerry; if the resources will be provided to reduce these waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23210/03]
I am happy to inform the Deputy that the team in the national educational psychological service, NEPS, that serves County Kerry is now practically up to strength. All mainstream primary and post-primary schools in the county now have access to the NEPS service.
At the beginning of each school year, NEPS psychologists visit the schools assigned to them, discuss with the school principals the needs that are to be addressed and agree on a programme of work. The psychologists aim to divide the available time between casework with individual pupils and indirect interventions which have a more preventive focus.
As part of this process, the school principal agrees with the psychologist on the number of pupils to be assessed during the course of the school year and the principal then identifies such pupils in order of priority. When making their service plans for the year, NEPS psychologists keep a certain percentage of time unallocated so that they may deal with additional or urgent cases that may arise.
At this stage of the school year, the programmes of work are being developed by school principals and psychologists. To ascertain the number of pupils awaiting assessment for the purpose of allocating additional resources, it would be necessary to survey all the schools in the county. This would divert the psychologists from their core work in schools. However, I am confident that the NEPS team in Kerry is sufficiently resourced to be able to respond to the vast majority of cases of genuine need during the current school year.
300 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the arrangements which have been put in place to provide services for children with autism in the context of special needs assistants and special services such as those provided by Beech Park for children in the greater Dublin area. [23215/03]
My Department provides special needs assistant, SNA, support at a ratio of two SNAs per special class of six pupils with autistic spectrum disorder. Applications for additional SNAs in mainstream or special schools are considered in the context of relevant professional recommendations and the existing SNA support within the applicant school.
The issue of services such as those provided by Beech Park Services is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, and the relevant health authority.
