Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 May 2017
104. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to increase access to National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists for schools in Newbridge, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24819/17]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department is actively working with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to fill NEPS psychologist vacancies nationally from a recruitment panel established this year for this purpose. It is envisaged that some 11 staff will be recruited by the end of the current academic year in this regard.
The Deputy may 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 receive assessment services through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Under this scheme schools can have a student 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. NEPS staff also provide ongoing support, upon request from school authorities, to all schools experiencing critical incidents.
This Government and my Department is committed to supporting the growth of is National Educational Psychological Service to support schools in their support of pupils and particularly those with special need. The Programme for Government commits to expanding NEPS psychologist numbers from its current limit 0f 173 w.t.e posts to 238 in the lifetime of this Government. As an initial step in realising this ambition I am pleased to say the during 2017 an additional 10 NEPS psychologist are being currently recruited by my Department to be in place by the commencement of the coming academic year to add to the supports provided by this service to schools. These recruits will be engaged in parallel to the intake described above leading to a significant improvement in the NEPS staffing situation both at a national level and also directly improving the staffing numbers in the NEPS Dublin Mid-Leinster Region which through its Naas office provides service to Co. Kildare.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
