Psychological Service.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004

Thursday, 2 December 2004

Questions (221, 222)

Michael Lowry

Question:

221 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the psychological assessment crisis facing north Tipperary due to the lack of psychologists in the area; her strategy to attract urgently needed educational and child psychologists to work in north Tipperary and the mid west region; her views on providing some form of master’s degree course in psychology in a third level college in the region to attract badly needed psychologists to the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31924/04]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

I am aware that the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, has had some difficulty in recruiting educational psychologists to work in the mid-western region, including north Tipperary. Meanwhile, schools that do not yet have access to the psychological service provided by NEPS are entitled to arrange for essential assessment work to be carried out under the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA.

My Department is currently initiating the process of gaining sanction for a new recruitment competition to NEPS. Unlike previous such competitions, applicants will henceforth be asked to specify the regions for which they are applying. Those who are successful will have their names placed on the relevant regional panels. This will mean that vacancies in the regions prioritised by NEPS may be filled first. I am hopeful that this will correct the current regional imbalance that exists in NEPS.

Proposals from third level colleges to provide courses in educational psychology at master's level should be submitted to the Higher Education Authority, HEA. Any such proposals will be considered by my Department, taking into account the views of the HEA.

Michael Lowry

Question:

222 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of educational psychologists which should be employed in the mid-west region; the number currently employed; when the empty posts will be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31925/04]

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

Shortly after the establishment of the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, in April 2000, its management committee submitted a draft development plan to the then Minister for Education and Science. According to this plan, the ultimate number of psychologists needed to provide a psychological service to all schools in the mid-west region was 16. Currently, six NEPS psychologists work in the region. During the past few months, two psychologists did not accept offers of employment from my Department on the basis that the vacancies were in the mid-west. However, a psychologist who joined NEPS on 1 November 2004 has been assigned to the region. There will be a slight expansion of the psychological service in the region after Christmas when the new psychologist has completed the induction programme and is fully operational.

My Department is initiating the process of gaining sanction for a new recruitment competition to NEPS. Subject to sanction being forthcoming and to the availability of resources, I expect that my Department will make offers of appointment to vacancies for psychologists in the mid-west during the school year 2005-06.