Vol. 550 No. 4
693 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no psychological service for children with learning difficulties attending Shinrone national school and that the parents council has been calling on his Department to provide a full psychological service at this school; and when such a service will be provided. [8373/02]
According to the terms of the Government decision to establish NEPS, the agency is expanding its service in a phased and orderly manner as additional psychologists are recruited. The Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission is currently organising a recruitment competition for additional psychologists in NEPS. This competition is now nearing completion, and it is expected that a number of appointments will be made to the midlands.
I am aware that the children with learning difficulties in Shinrone national school require support from educational psychologists. As I have recently announced that the expansion of NEPS is being accelerated, I am hopeful that the school will have access to its service much earlier than originally planned.
Meanwhile, the school may avail of my Department's scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, full details of which are available from NEPS or from my Department's website.
