Seymour Crawford
Ceist:90 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of the recruitment plans, if any, he has for psychologists in order to improve the psychological services in schools. [16688/97]
Written Answers - Psychological Service.
Proposals for the establishment of a national educational psychological service were included in the programme for Government. A planning group has been set up and has held its first meeting. Decisions on the level of recruitment which will be necesary will not be taken until after the planning group has reported to me early in 1998.
However, as an interim measure, the Department of Education and Science is now organising, in co-operation with Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick, a development project for the extension of the psychological service to primary schools. Applications have been invited, by way of open competition, for 15 educational psychologists on a three year contract. The successful applicants will work in teams organised on a regional basis by the Department's psychological service.