Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 29 Feb 1996

Vol. 462 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Dublin Educational Disadvantage.

Mr. Gregory

I raise this important issue of educational disadvantage in the Dublin 10 postal district, having been contacted recently, as I am sure were other Members representing the area, by a spokesperson on behalf of the educators, the management boards of the local primary schools.

The purpose of their submission to me which, I suspect, has been submitted to the Minister, was to draw ours and her attention to the very serious difficulties experienced by some — I stress some — pupils attending the three primary schools in question.

The disturbances — which is how the spokesperson referred to them — manifest themselves in high drop-out levels in secondary schools, early school-leaving, lack of self-control or students experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Between the three schools there are 59 students in urgent need of psychological assessment, 70 with severe emotional difficulties, 65 in need of intensive speech/language therapy and 146 recognised as poor school attenders.

These figures, obtained from the three school principals involved, were sent to us to highlight the urgency of their position. They draw our attention, and to which I wish to draw the Minister's attention, to the unfortunate fact that, despite this very obvious need, no psychological or counselling service is available to the schools in question, that there is a two-year waiting list of children with speech/language difficulties and no play therapist available to them. The principals and spokesperson who contacted us wanted to draw our attention to the crucial issue of making such trained personnel available if they are to make decisive inroads into educational disadvantage.

The report of the Technical Working Group on the Future Development of Higher Education stated that recently, within the Dublin area, the two postal districts with the lowest admissions to third-level education — ironically both in my constituency of Dublin Central — are Dublin 1, with a 4.8 admission rate and Dublin 10, slightly higher, with a 5.6 admission rate. This contrasts with admission rates of 56.8 per cent in Dublin 14, 54 per cent in Dublin 6 and 50 per cent in Dublin 4. Those figures show the very stark inequalities. It is worth drawing Members' attention to the reply to Question No. 97 of 27 September 1995 on the level of unemployment in Dublin 10. The official statistics show unemployment rates ranging from 34.2 per cent to 50.5 per cent in Cherry Orchard C district. There are 2,050 children of primary and pre school age in Cherry Orchard and there is no school whatsoever to meet their needs, let alone the services that the three primary schools in another area of Dublin 10 are looking for. I hope the Minister will have a favourable response to this very important issue.

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Mr. Allen)

I thank Deputy Gregory for raising this matter on the Adjournment. I understand his concern about the problems in the educational system arising from social disadvantage. In general, the responsibility for the psychological assessment of children in primary schools, where such is deemed necessary, is a matter for the regional health boards, through the appropriate director of community care. Parents may access this service through the school medical service or the family doctor.

The psychological service for primary schools from my Department is in a limited number of areas, with priority given to schools serving disadvantaged areas. Parents may access this service, where available, through the school. However, it will be some time before this service will be in a position to take over responsibility for psychological assessment for educational purposes from the health boards.

In accordance with Government policy, set out in the White Paper on Education and in the programme, A Government of Renewal, it is proposed to continue the development of the psychological service, on a phased basis, as resources become available for that purpose. In the context of the policy outlined in the White Paper, it is proposed that regional educational boards will be established and it is envisaged that psychological services to schools will be one of the services provided by these new boards.

It is recognised, therefore, that there is a need for a psychological service to schools generally, but of course it is not possible to meet this need in all areas at once. Therefore, there is a need to approach the matter on a phased basis.

During 1995 ten psychologists were recruited for my Department's psychological service. As a result of the recruitment of these ten psychologists the service has been extended. In extending the service, priority has been given to primary schools serving disadvantaged areas.

Some limited further extension in the Dublin area is being considered as a continuation of the deployment of psychologists recruited in 1995. This consideration includes primary schools in the Ballyfermot area, including the three schools mentioned by the Deputy. When the matter is finalised, in the near future, the management authorities of the schools concerned will be informed. The priority criterion will remain schools serving disadvantaged areas. I can confirm that the three schools mentioned meet this criterion. They have been given consideration in accord with this criterion in the past, for example, all of the schools mentioned have home school community liaison teachers.

Consideration of any further recruitment of psychologists in 1996 will have to be in accord with the Government decision in limiting recruitment to the Civil Service and will be subject to the financial limits of my Department's administrative budget. There is also the consideration that at any given time there is a limited number of persons with the necessary qualifications available for appointment. These matters highlight the need to approach expansion on a phased basis. Since the Minister took office, the original pilot project on the development of a psychological service to primary schools was put on a permanent basis, in early 1994, in the areas concerned, west Tallaght/Clondalkin and south Tipperary.

This meant that the four psychologists employed on a temporary basis, for the duration of the project, were employed on a permanent basis. As a result of the recruitment of ten additional psychologists in 1995, there are 14 psychologists working in primary schools.