Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 November 2005
231 Mr. English asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Meath cannot be assessed for dyslexia by the NEPS in Navan, County Meath; the further reason the service does not have adequate cover in cases of employee leave; her plans to provide the cover necessary to maintain a normal service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35782/05]
View answerThe school in question receives a service from NEPS. However, the assigned psychologist is currently on maternity leave. Schools that do not have direct access to a NEPS psychologist for whatever reason, including employee leave, are eligible to avail of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, whereby the schools can commission assessments from a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the fees directly to the psychologists concerned. Details of this scheme, including the conditions that apply to it, are available on the Department's website.
NEPS also provides assistance to all schools that suffer from critical incidents, regardless of whether or not they have a NEPS psychologist assigned to them. Also, in relation to all schools, NEPS processes applications on behalf of students with specific learning disabilities for reasonable accommodations in certificate examinations.
