Vol. 527 No. 3
362 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will arrange to have an educational psychological assessment carried out of 14 pupils of a school (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28183/00]
The current situation is that the national educational psychological service agency – NEPS – does not yet provide a psychological service for the school named by the Deputy. However, I have appointed 26 additional psychologists to the agency since the beginning of September. As soon as they have completed their programme of induction training, they will begin visiting schools. This will be before the end of this school term. At least two psychologists will be joining the south-eastern team during the current school year in order to initiate a psychological service to primary schools in County Waterford. I am unable to say at present which schools in the county will be included in the next expansion phase of NEPS.
I am aware of the difficulties that have been experienced by some schools in gaining access to psychological assessments, pending the appointment of the full quota of psychologists for NEPS. I have therefore asked NEPS to develop a short-term strategy to alleviate the situation and I expect this to be in place early in the new year.
