Written Answers Nos. 218-235
218. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills the full year cost in 2017 of increasing the Momentum programme by 20% on a voluntary basis for persons in receipt of disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20725/16]
View answerThe criteria for eligibility to participate in the Momentum programme is a matter for the Department of Social Protection.
SOLAS has informed me that the estimated cost of training a participant in the current Momentum programme is approximately €3,200. Based on that figure, the cost to increase the number of places by 20% would be €3.84 million.
219. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason persons (details supplied) cannot be granted a concessionary bus ticket for secondary school on their medical card, as was the case in primary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20765/16]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
The child in question is not attending her nearest school and is therefore not eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible for school transport, may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. This charge, which may be paid in two instalments in July and December, is a contribution towards the overall cost and does not reflect the true cost of providing school transport services.
Only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold a valid Medical Card (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
220. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount it would cost to reinstate all allowances to new entry teachers which were abolished in 2012-2013. [21148/16]
View answerAs a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale, which in the case of teachers had the effect of reducing their starting pay by a further 4-5%. Later in 2011, the Government placed a cap on the overall level of qualification allowances that could be earned by teachers.
Subsequently in 2012, following the public service-wide review of allowances, the Government withdrew qualification allowances for new teachers altogether. However, the Government partially compensated for this by deciding that new entrant teachers would henceforth commence on a new salary scale which had a starting point higher than the starting point of the old scale.
The estimated cost of reversing the decision to withdraw qualification allowances from post-1 February 2012 entrant teachers is approximately €16 million per annum. This figure is inclusive of teachers on my Department's main payroll, substitute teachers, Employers' PRSI and includes an estimated cost in respect of teachers in Education and Training Board schools.
The Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the Public Service, including entry pay levels. The terms of reference and timescale for the Commission's work are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and would require broad consultation, including engagement with staff representatives as was committed to in the Lansdowne Road Agreement.
A meeting was held on 5 July 2016 between officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and representatives from the INTO and TUI. The two unions made strong representations to both Departments regarding the pay arrangements for newly qualified teachers. Both INTO and TUI have signed-up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. In this context, it was agreed that management would commit to a series of meetings and engagements with teaching unions operating within the Lansdowne Road Agreement to fully scope out the issues involved regarding pay arrangements for newly qualified teachers. This engagement is to commence this month.
221. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify the situation with regard to a school (details supplied) that was approved for funding for a new autism spectrum disorder unit and classroom but so far has not been provided its allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20472/16]
View answerI can confirm for the Deputy that my Department approved funding for additional classroom accommodation and an Autism Spectrum Disorder unit to the school in question.
The school has since reverted to my Department with a request for additional funding for the project. The request will be considered by my Department and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities as soon as this process is finalised.
222. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is concerned that in its updated guidelines on applying for services, dated June 2016, Caranua has indicated to survivors that an audit will be undertaken if the survivors do not supply Caranua with receipts for all services paid for by Caranua; and his views on whether this approach is an appropriate one for the board of a residential institutional statutory fund to take with survivors. [20474/16]
View answerAs I have explained to the Deputy in response to previous Parliamentary Questions, Caranua is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to support the needs of survivors of residential institutional child abuse. Administrative and operational issues such as those raised in the Deputy's question are day to day matters that are the responsibility of Caranua itself and I have no role in those matters. If the Deputy has specific concerns in regard to aspects of Caranua's operations she should raise them directly with the organisation.
223. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who earn between €10,000 and €100,000 per year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20478/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is in the following table. The figures relate to March 2016.
|
POST PRIMARY Teachers-Number of Whole Time Equivalents |
PRIMARY Teachers-Number of Whole Time Equivalents |
|
|
0-25,000 |
- |
- |
|
25,000-30,000 |
24.76 |
24.73 |
|
30,000-35,000 |
1,200.94 |
2,811.36 |
|
35,000-40,000 |
460.05 |
1,591.86 |
|
40,000-45,000 |
1,395.88 |
4,151.00 |
|
45,000-50,000 |
1,765.91 |
5,388.25 |
|
50,000-55,000 |
2,448.13 |
5,734.51 |
|
55,000-60,000 |
3,269.34 |
3,493.27 |
|
60,000-65,000 |
3,116.59 |
4,829.41 |
|
65,000-70,000 |
1,906.61 |
2,993.50 |
|
70,000-75,000 |
1,172.50 |
1,663.00 |
|
75,000-80,000 |
162.00 |
776.00 |
|
80,000-85,000 |
169.00 |
392.00 |
|
85,000-90,000 |
218.00 |
209.00 |
|
90,000-95,000 |
90.00 |
70.00 |
|
95,000-100,000 |
154.00 |
- |
|
100,000-125,000 |
115.00 |
- |
|
125,000-150,000 |
- |
- |
|
150,000 + |
- |
- |
224. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills the deficit incurred by Waterford Institute of Technology in each of the years 2013 to 2016 to date; the measures being put in place to address the deficit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20518/16]
View answerMy Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions, including Institutes such as Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of funding is then a matter for the individual institution.
Details on the operating deficits incurred by WIT in recent years are set out in the following table. The HEA are closely monitoring the financial position of all of the IoTs and in particular are working closely with those operating in deficit, including WIT, to ensure appropriate mechanisms are put in place to eliminate the deficit as quickly as possible. The HEA has a policy framework in place for engaging with vulnerable IoTs like WIT, which requires institutes to submit a three year plan to return them to a balanced budget situation.
I understand that WIT has undertaken an extensive review within the Institute to examine a number of the key drivers of academic and financial performance, with working groups established to identify appropriate actions to generate cost efficiencies and target revenue generation. WIT has presented the HEA with their three year plan which shows further deficits forecast for 2015/16 and 2016/17 before a return to surplus target for 2017/18.
The success of this plan will be dependent on initiatives to target student retention, to increase part-time and industry focused provision, and to reduce the overall cost base. The HEA will continue to closely monitor the position and work with WIT to address the deficit issue.
Deficits Incurred by Waterford Institute of Technology:
|
€'000 |
|
|
2012/13 |
|
|
Operating surplus/deficit |
-€306 |
|
2013/14 (draft) |
|
|
Operating surplus/deficit |
€1,168 |
|
2014/15 (draft) |
|
|
Operating surplus/deficit |
-€849 |
Note: It should be noted that the above figures refer to operating deficits/surpluses in a given year and that a larger deficit is expected to be reported in the certified 2014/15 accounts as a result of the consolidation of subsidiary accounts and a revised treatment of research grants.
225. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills the institutes of technology that have expressed an interest in or are involved in a process to become technological universities; the stage each process is at; the amount that has been spent by each institute individually or collectively on the process to date; the amount of additional funding that has been available to support the processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20519/16]
View answer226. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a programme for Government commitment to change the requirement that institutes of technology must merge in order to apply to become a technological university will be implemented; if the programme for Government commitment will be implemented by way of an amendment to the Technological Universities Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20520/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.
This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives. In particular, the Strategy recommended consolidation within the sector and a pathway of evolution for those consolidated institutes of technology, to allow them to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria and to apply to become technological universities.
Consortiums who have applied:
As part of the implementation of the Strategy, the Higher Education Authority in 2012 published a four-stage process and criteria for applicant groups of institutes of technology wishing to apply to become technological universities.
The designation process consists of four stages as follows –
- an expression of interest,
- the preparation of a plan to meet the criteria,
- an evaluation of the plan, and
- an application for designation.
There are currently four consortia engaged with the process to become designated as TUs. These are TU4Dublin (Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown), Technological University for the South-East (TUSE – consisting of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow), Munster Technological University (MTU – consisting of Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) and the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA – consisting of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology).
Status of Consortia:
At the end of 2014, two consortia successfully passed stage 3 of the four-stage process. These are the TU4Dublin consortium and the Munster Technological University consortium.
In early 2015 the Connacht-Ulster Alliance also expressed an interest in merging and in applying to become a technological university. This application was approved to proceed to the next stage. In line with the process for designation as a Technological University, Stage 2 of this process involves the preparation of a plan by the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, to meet the criteria for designation as a Technological University.
With regard to the Technological University for the South-East, consisting of Institute of Technology, Carlow (ITC) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), following the publication of the Kelly report, a preliminary facilitation process which was underway since September 2015, has recently been completed and a Report of the process was received by my Department on 13 May 2016. There was strong engagement in the process by both parties. This facilitation process has been an important building block in terms of building trust between the parties and in developing a strong working relationship between the Presidents and Chairs of both institutions. As part of this process, the Presidents of the two institutions, have jointly developed an initial work-plan to support the development of a joint TU proposal.
Future Funding for landscape re-configuration in the Higher Education sector:
It is recognised that these changes to the landscape of Irish higher education carry some up-front additional costs and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has provided for a fund to support HEIs with these costs. In terms of additional financial support, having regard to the benefits that will arise for the institutions, students and the higher education system more generally, the HEA has provided funding in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to provide some support to institutions involved in the TU process, the details of which are set out for each consortium below.
In relation to 2016, the HEA have ring-fenced a level of funding to support costs arising from the continuation of landscape reform projects as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education. In line with this, the HEA issued a call for submissions for funding support to higher education institutions involved in restructuring projects. Funding Allocations:
Arising from the submissions received and subsequent detailed presentations made to the HEA, all four consortiums that are involved in merger processes with the ultimate aim of becoming Technological Universities have been allocated additional funding as outlined below. Part of this funding arises from a specific €2 million allocated in Budget 2016 to support Technological University projects. Notification of this additional funding was recently provided to the consortiums involved. The funding for 2016 has been allocated as follows:
TUSE: €1.445 Million
TU4Dublin: €1.3 Million
MTU: €1.2 Million
CUA: €0.757 Million
Total: €4.702 Million
Costs:
Summary of Overall Costs to date:
Costs incurred to End 2015:
TU4Dublin €3,113,000
MTU €1,053,026
TUSE €495,655
CUA €400,000
Total €5,061,681
Future projections for the overall costs of all of the projects will only be fully determined as part of the Stage 2 and Stage 4 Application processes.
Position of Technological Universities Bill:
The first Government Legislative Programme of this new Partnership Government was published on 8 June 2016, and the Technological Universities Bill has been restored to the Dáil Order Paper at Committee Stage.
I recognise that there were a significant number of matters raised in respect of the Bill at both Committee and Report Stage. It is my intention to now consult with all of the relevant stakeholders in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.
Following the finalisation of this consultation process I will then advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.
227. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has fallen off his Department's list for funding and when funding will be made available to bring this project to the final stage. [20559/16]
View answerThe building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission was recently approved by the Department.
However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there are currently 36 projects authorised to progress through the tender process with a view to starting on site in the coming months. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2016. The project for the school referred to was not at a sufficiently advanced stage to be considered for inclusion with those projects when they were authorised to proceed to tender earlier this year. These projects were authorised to proceed under previous Minister O'Sullivan, and this means that the existing contractual commitments for 2016 now fully account for the funding which was allocated for 2016 by the previous Minister.
My officials will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects, including the project for the school in question will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.
228. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Caranua has signed a memorandum of understanding with a service (details supplied); and if so, the terms of this memorandum of understanding, including any costs to the residential institutions statutory fund incurred as a result of this MOU. [20560/16]
View answerAs I have explained to the Deputy in response to previous Parliamentary Questions, Caranua is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to support the needs of survivors of residential institutional child abuse. Administrative and operational issues such as those raised in the Deputy's question are day to day matters that are the responsibility of Caranua itself and I have no role in those matters.
I understand that, in late 2014, Caranua agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Towards Healing for the provision of counselling services to former residents who wish to continue receiving counselling with Towards Healing. The arrangement covers those former residents who are eligible for support from Caranua and who have received 80 counselling sessions and whose further counselling needs have been recommended by an independent review panel to be clinically appropriate. Caranua will pay Towards Healing the agreed costs of the counselling services received by eligible former residents. I understand, from enquiries made by my officials, that Caranua has made payments of €87,263.50 and €7,385 to Towards Healing in the years 2015 and 2016 respectively in relation to services provided under the MOU.
229. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for emergency works funding for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20571/16]
View answerThe application for emergency works scheme funding (EWS) from the school to which the Deputy refers has been refused. It would appear that the school put in an underpass that compromised a wall on the school's property. This development gave rise to the EWS application for funding to repair the wall. However, as the design and delivery of the underpass should have taken the wall into consideration, the school has been advised to purse this issue with its Consultant for the underpass project.
230. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20577/16]
View answerIn accordance with the European Social Fund Regulations, following the adoption in 2015 of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020, initial pre-financing of 3.5% and 30% in the case of the Youth Employment Initiative priority axis, together with annual pre-financing of 2% for 2016 resulted in a total of €51.8m receipts. €31.4m of this amount, which is currently held in a suspense account, is likely to be reimbursed to the Commission. €19.8m of this amount is in respect of the YEI initiative and arises as an interim YEI payment application was not submitted by 23rd May 2016. The other €11.6m is in respect of the general 2% annual ESF pre-financing received for 2016 and will be reimbursed as a payment application under the ESF will not be made in 2016.
Work on the designation of the relevant ESF authorities, including the provision of a national computerised accounting and information system for EU funds to meet the 2014-2020 functionality requirements is continuing. However, it should be noted that the reimbursement of this pre-financing will not result in any loss of EU monies to the Exchequer, as the full allocations will still be available for drawdown and it is expected that the funding will be fully drawn down during the programming period. Furthermore, as the activities concerned are fully funded up-front by the Exchequer there is no resulting reduction or delay in the funding available to those activities.
Turning to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF), my Department has successfully applied for co-financing support under the 2014-20 funding round for 3 programmes, in respect of which the Commission has forwarded financial contributions of €4.4m. The Andersen Ireland EGF programme ended in May and my Department will submit a final report and expenditure statement to the European Commission by mid-November. The Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland EGF programme ends in September while the PWA International EGF programme runs to next June. Where the actual expenditure on a programme falls short of the programme allocation, the co-financing received is reimbursed proportionally. It is difficult to accurately forecast final expenditure on EGF programmes as public beneficiary bodies generally fund the cost of EGF measures from national budgets and subsequently submit expenditure declarations/claims during and more often following completion of the programmes. However, the average expenditure across the 7 previous Irish EGF programmes was 60% of the programme allocations. Assuming a similar outcome for these programmes, a 40% reimbursement rate would result in €1.76m being reimbursed.
231. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider additional examination options for leaving certificate students who have either suffered a bereavement or illness and who ultimately could not sit an examination, in order that the need to complete an additional school year is removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20597/16]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
232. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeframe and expected completion date for extension works due to take place at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20618/16]
View answerThe building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included on the six year construction programme announced on 17th November 2015.
The project is at an advanced Stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for planning permission and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.
The design team will submit the stage 2(b) report to my Department when it is completed and my Department will revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project following consideration of that report.
233. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department retains data on the number of private referrals made by schools to private psychologists, outside of the scheme for the commissioning of private psychological assessments, as operated by his Department, for the purposes of achieving a psychological assessment of the educational needs of students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20628/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware 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). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly. While details of individual pupil casework undertaken by NEPS staff and assessments delivered under the SCPA scheme are recorded centrally within NEPS I must inform the Deputy that NEPs does not maintain record of assessments commissioned from any other source.
234. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of psychologists that have been contracted by his Department under the scheme for the commissioning of private psychological assessments in each of the years between 2006 and 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20629/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware 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). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
For clarity psychologists on the SCPA panel do not operate under a contract for service with my Department. NEPS organises and moderates membership of the panel (to ensure that panellists are suitable qualified) sets the terms of engagement and advises schools as to how and when they need to access the panel. School authorities engage with panellists and schedule assessments. Schools then certify satisfactory delivery of the SCPA assessment(s) and my Department pays the panellists the fee set under the scheme.
I include for the Deputy's information a count of the SCPA panellists paid by my Department for assessments delivered under the scheme for each year since 2006.
Number by Year of Psychologists paid for Assessments commissioned under the SCPA Scheme
|
Year |
No. of Psychologists |
|
2006/07 |
151 |
|
2007/08 |
127 |
|
2008/09 |
104 |
|
2009/10 |
88 |
|
2010/11 |
82 |
|
2011/12 |
84 |
|
2012/13 |
100 |
|
2013/14 |
99 |
|
2014/15 |
107 |
|
2015/16 |
95 |
235. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any guidelines, direction or other form of communication has ever been issued by his Department or the National Educational Psychology Service to teachers, school principals or school management advising schools of the number of students that may be referred to the National Educational Psychology Service or the scheme for the commissioning of private psychological assessments for assessment of educational needs per school per year; if limitations currently exist on the number of children that may be referred for assessment per school per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20630/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware 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). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
By way of clarification the SCPA was created in 2001 as a temporary measure to provide service to schools (assessment only) in advance of full provision of NEPS personnel and where a NEPS psychologist was not available to provide the full service. Schools availing of SCPA contracted individual assessment from a panel of private practitioners organised and paid for by NEPS. Historically service was provided on an either/or basis (i.e. either NEPS assigned Psychologist or SCPA).
Schools catered for, at this stage, by allowing access to the SCPA were advised of the limit of such access which was set at 2% of school enrolment (i.e. 1 assessment per 50 pupils enrolled). This limit was set, the Deputy will understand, to allow management by NEPS of the overall process and it was open to the school to raise the necessity of additional assessments with their local NEPS office where urgent need dictated.
From the start of the 2013/14 academic year and based on a staffing complement of 173 w.t.e., NEPS assigned a psychologist to all mainstream schools in order to provide the full advisory & support service. This has meant that NEPS psychologists have taken on additional schools and pupil numbers which is supported by the use of SCPA where the psychologist deems appropriate.
I can inform the Deputy that the NEPS model of service, in line with best international practice for educational psychology services, is a needs-based as opposed to a diagnosis-led model. The needs of children and adolescents in schools present on a continuum from mild to severe and transient to enduring. The NEPS model of service is a tiered one that focuses on addressing this continuum of need. At one level, NEPS psychologists seeks to build the capacity of schools (at a systemic level) to support all pupils on this continuum of need, by promoting the use of universal preventative and early intervention approaches. At another level NEPS psychologists consult with teachers to build their capacity to identify the emerging need of some pupils and put in place appropriate, workable interventions to address those needs.
At a final level, NEPS psychologists work directly with pupils with greatest need, and through assessment, consultation and review inform individualised interventions to address those needs. This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually.
NEPS psychologists conduct planning meetings with schools, at least annually, whereby work within the school is structured and prioritised by means of a dynamic collaborative process of planning and review. Work agreed extends not only to assessment bur also to consultation, advice, on-going complex casework and training.
There are, of course, physical limits to the amount of time which the NEPS psychologist provides to their assigned schools in any given year but the NEPS model of service is oriented at structuring responses to the various levels of need presenting and at supporting appropriate individualised intervention by all players with the highest level of input directed at those with the greatest need.
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 165 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. Currently processes are in train to continue to raise this number to some 173 whole-time equivalents.
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.
