Richard Bruton
Ceist:172 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children assessed by the national psychological service in 2001; and the estimated cost of this service. [3052/02]
Written Answers. - Psychological Service.
The national educational psychological service, NEPS, collects casework statistics at the end of each academic year, rather than at the end of each calendar year. The number of individual pupils assessed in the school year 2000-01 was 2,939. As more psychologists are appointed under the Government's accelerated programme the number of pupils assessed is growing rapidly. The cost of the service in the calendar year 2001 was €6.25 million. This includes pay, non-pay and a range of other duties performed by NEPS.