I 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.