I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 357 together.
Since the establishment of the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, in September 1999, the number of psychologists assigned to the agency has tripled, rising to 127 psychologists at present. The Government's decision to establish NEPS included the specification that there would ultimately be 184 psychologists in NEPS in addition to approximately 16 psychologists employed elsewhere in the educational system.
I intend to recruit additional psychologists to make up the shortfall, as resources permit, and bearing in mind the general staffing constraints that exist at present. Pending the expansion of NEPS to all schools in the country, my Department has allocated funding for schools that do not yet have access to the NEPS service to commission psychological assessments from private practitioners. NEPS has issued details of how to avail of this scheme to all schools.