Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2018
200. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the child behavioural psychologist post for the north west region based in Letterkenny is vacant in relation to the NEPS; if so, the date on which the previous post holder vacated the role; the efforts being made to fill the post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51974/18]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).
The NEPS Letterkenny Office is sited within the Midlands / North-Western Region and currently has two vacancies at entry grade psychologist. The first results from the retirement of the NEPS Regional Director in late February 2018 and from the subsequent consequential promotions to Regional Director and Senior Psychologist leaving a vacancy in that office. The 2nd vacancy results from the resignation of a psychologist in Letterkenny in July.
I can inform the Deputy that following the completion of a national recruitment in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in the early autumn that regional recruitment panels have been established to serve these and a broader range of staffing needs for NEPS. I can also inform the Deputy that in the last week PAS have completed the processing of the candidate for the first Letterkenny vacancy who will start with NEPS in early February next. My Department is awaiting notice in relation to recruitment of the second vacancy.
