Vol. 481 No. 6
100 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the current position regarding the application by the Kildare Teachers Centre in relation to the provision of a psychologist for County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16593/97]
A number of representations has been received by my Department in relation to the provision of a psychological service to primary schools in County Kildare, including representation from groups of teachers in the area. There is a psychologist available to all second level schools in County Kildare. As yet, there is no psychologist available to primary schools in the area.
I have established a planning group to prepare proposals for the development of a national educational psychological service. This planning group has held its first meeting and will be reporting to me early in 1998.
As an interim measure, my Department, in co-operation with Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick, is making arrangements for the employment of educational psychologists in order to extend the service at primary school level. Applications have been sought already for these posts. When these additional posts are filled, the needs of children and of schools in County Kildare and in other areas, will be borne in mind when the new psychologists are being deployed.
