Mary Harney
Ceist:138 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education the services, if any, available for the psychological assessment of primary school students in the north Kildare area. [23884/96]
Written Answers. - Psychological Assessments.
Fourteen psychologists have been appointed by the Department of Education in order to develop a psychological service for primary schools. These are assigned, as a matter of priority, to schools serving disadvantaged areas.
The north Kildare area is not one of the areas served by the Department's psychological service to primary schools. At present, psychologists are assigned to primary schools serving disadvantaged areas in the cities of Dublin, Cork and Limerick, in west Tallaght and Clondalkin and in Tipperary South Riding. I am afraid that, given the current level of staffing, it is not possible at present to offer the service to other areas.
For primary school students in areas other than those mentioned above, it is the responsibility of the appropriate health board director of community care to arrange for psychological assessments where such are deemed necessary.