Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 1

Written Answers. - Psychological Service.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

486 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to psychology seminars for the national schools in County Kildare; the number of psychologists in County Kildare; the plans he has to increase the number; the plans he has to improve the facilities for the psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19842/01]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

490 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if NEPS has appointed educational psychologists to cover the remainder of the primary schools in north County Kildare; if not, when the appointment will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19846/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 490 together.

The planning group that prepared proposals for a national educational psychological service recommended in September 1998 that the Minister for Education and Science should establish a national educational psychological service agency, NEPS, as an executive agency of the Department. The report also recommended that the agency would have an overall target number of 200 psychologists and 36 administrative-secretarial staff. This will allow for an educational psychological service to be provided to all primary and post primary schools.

The new NEPS agency came into existence on 1 September 1999 with 42 psychologists already employed in the service. The recruitment of additional psychologists involved the organisation of a competition through the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission.

Notwithstanding the time consuming nature of such competitions there are now 82 psychologists in NEPS and by the end of this school year there will be 100 psychologists in the service. I also intend to proceed with the recruitment of a further 28 psychologists before the end of this calendar year. This will raise the staffing to 128 and greatly improve the service.

Currently, 29 primary schools and all post primary schools in County Kildare have been allocated to psychologists working in NEPS. There are seven psychologists currently working in schools in County Kildare.

I recognise that there is a current need for some schools and parents to be able to gain access to psychological assessments pending the full development of the NEPS service. I recently announced the allocation of £1.25 million to NEPS for the purchase of assessments from private practitioners. The management of NEPS has developed an action plan for the implementation of this scheme. Guidelines on how to avail of the scheme will be issued to schools in September 2001.