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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Jun 1999

Vol. 507 No. 1

Written Answers. - Educational Needs.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

107 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a detailed statement concerning educational needs (details supplied) in Dublin 10; and if the actions requested will be implemented in time for the start of the new school year in September 1999. [16239/99]

I am aware of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy, regarding educational needs in the Dublin 10 area.

The new national educational psychological service agency will shortly be formally established. My Department is in the process of recruiting 25 additional psychologists who will take up their appointments during the school year 1999-2000. A further 25 psychologists at a minimum will be recruited during the year 2000. Expansion of the service will begin as soon as the additional psychologists are in place, and it is envisaged that all schools will have access to the psychological service by the end of the next five years.

My priority at present is to ensure that all schools that currently have no remedial service will be given access to this service from September next and arrangements to put this extension of service in place have been made by my Department. I can assure the Deputy that the needs of the schools in question will be fully considered in the event of additional resources becoming available to improve existing remedial services.

The operation of the support teacher service is being monitored by my Department's inspectorate on an ongoing basis. The question of any future expansion of the service will be considered in the light of experience with the existing service and having regard to available resources.

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