Liz McManus
Ceist:115 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education the waiting times for young people and children for psychological assessment in the Eastern Health Board area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Psychological Assessment Waiting Times.
Psychological services for primary school children in the Eastern Health Board area are the responsibility of the Eastern Health Board, through the directors of community care, apart from the Clondalkin area and part of Tallaght, where a pilot programme has been in operation for some time under the auspices of my Department. I understand from the Eastern Health Board that child and adolescent psychiatric services are provided by three separate agencies in their region, and so the information requested by the Deputy is not routinely available.
The agencies in question are: Eastern Health Board — South West Dublin and County Kildare. Hospitaller Order of St. John of God — South East Dublin and County Wicklow. The Mater Hospital Child and Family Service — North Dublin City and County. I have asked the Eastern Health Board to provide the information requested by the Deputy, and I will communicate separately with the Deputy on this matter.
In the pilot programme operated by my Department, educational assessment of individual children takes place in the school setting. Referrals are accepted from parents and from the health and community agencies, but these latter cases are discussed directly with the schools concerned. I am committed to the development and expansion of psychological services to areas outside the pilot regions; beginning this year. The Civil Service Commission has been requested to recruit ten additional psychologists, and these posts will be advertised in the very near future.