Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016
161. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if all DEIS schools are prioritised in their preferential access to NEPS psychologists; and if there is scope to provide priority to non-DEIS schools with a high percentage of students from lower-income backgrounds. [23198/16]
View answerI can confirm for the Deputy that DEIS schools are afforded priority by the National Educational Psychological Service in the allocation of NEPS psychologist time provided. The system used to allocate a NEPS psychologist to primary or post-primary schools is based on a weighting process which takes into account school size, DEIS status, gender mix and the presence of special units or classes, each of which is reflected as an additional factor in the service time allocated. A school's DEIS status forms a significant consideration in this process.
I can inform the Deputy that a review of the DEIS programme is currently underway in my Department and it is my intention that a New Action Plan for Educational Inclusion will be published by the end of this year.
