Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
248. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education her views on whether current trainee educational psychologists should only have to accept to work in an organisation in exchange for the number of years for which funding has been offered, for example, one year of funding in exchange for one year work post-qualification (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19957/23]
View answer263. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 64 of 19 April 2023, if additional student funding supports, separate to those already announced for trainee educational psychologists, will be considered as part of the interim recommendations of the working group; the exact timeline she is working towards; the estimated date for completion of the final report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20063/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 263 together.
A working group in the Department has been examining the matter of how NEPS can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified staff and continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised primary and post-primary schools across the country.
To address supply issues in the medium to long term a workforce plan for educational psychologists is being developed within the Department of Education and work has begun with other Government Departments to advance this. Officials in my Department liaise regularly with the Department of Health, and with Mary Immaculate College and University College Dublin, and, as this work progresses, will continue to do so and to consult with other stakeholders as appropriate.
As an immediate short-term measure the Department introduced a bursary to support Trainee Educational Psychologists currently in their third year (or third year equivalent) of professional training in University College Dublin (UCD) and Mary Immaculate College (MIC), who expect to graduate in 2023.
The working group referred to above has also been asked to make some interim recommendations in Q2 of this year regarding any other short-term measures required in advance of their final report. Funding supports for students of the educational psychological doctorate programme are being considered as part of this process. Officials in my Department are liaising with Mary Immaculate College and University College Dublin in that regard.
