Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 June 2016
207. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the ratio of psychologists to students in the National Educational Psychological Service over each of the years 2006 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14570/16]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). My Department, over the course of recent economic difficulties, has not only maintained psychologist staffing levels within NEPS, but has increased them by some 10% since late 2008, to 162 whole time equivalent psychologists currently employed. While the numbers of psychologists have steadily increased over the past ten years despite expenditure constraints, the numbers of pupils enrolled in school has also grown rapidly.
The Programme for a Partnership Government commits that we will invest additional resources in the National Educational Psychological Service to ensure earlier intervention and access for young children and teenagers and to offer immediate support to schools in cases of critical incidents. The Programme commits to bring the total number of NEPS psychologists to 238 from the current sanctioned limit of 173.
The table following sets out the ratio of NEPS Educational Psychologist employed numbers to the target student number in Primary and Post-Primary schools for the past 10 years. The Deputy will note that in parallel to this nominal ratio my Department's NEPS service also provided schools with assessment services through the above mentioned SCPA process.
NEPS ratio of Educational Psychologist to Primary & Post-Primary School Enrolment 2006/7 to 2015/16.
|
Academic Year |
School Enrolment |
Nep Psych Count |
Full E.W.T No. Of Psychologists (1) |
Management Posts (2) |
Net (3) |
Gross Ratio (4) |
Net Ratio (5) |
|
06/07 |
763,069 |
124 |
117.8 |
8 |
109.8 |
6,478 |
6,950 |
|
07/08 |
779,054 |
134 |
126.7 |
8 |
118.7 |
6,149 |
6,563 |
|
08/09 |
793,994 |
155 |
148.5 |
4.8 |
143.7 |
5,347 |
5,525 |
|
09/10 |
805,197 |
153 |
146.9 |
5 |
141.9 |
5,481 |
5,674 |
|
10/11 |
813,081 |
165 |
158.9 |
9 |
149.9 |
5,117 |
5,424 |
|
11/12 |
824,255 |
173 |
166 |
9 |
157 |
4,965 |
5,250 |
|
12/13 |
837,109 |
171 |
168.8 |
9 |
159.8 |
4,959 |
5,238 |
|
13/14 |
852,052 |
177 |
168.1 |
9 |
159.1 |
5,069 |
5,355 |
|
14/15 |
863,866 |
177 |
166.9 |
9 |
157.9 |
5,176 |
5,471 |
|
15/16 |
879,255 |
175 |
164.99 |
7 |
157.99 |
5,329 |
5,565 |
Notes:
1. Psychologist number is stated in equivalent whole-time posts (E.W.T.) at 31 December of the year specified.
2. Management posts relate to the NEPS Director and Regional Director whose responsibilities do not predominantly involve direct service to schools.
3. W.T.E. established Psychologist numbers minus Management posts.
4. Gross psychologist to pupil ratio based on full E.W.T staffing complement.
5. Net psychologist to pupil ratio based on NET E.W.T staffing complement minus management personnel.
