Professor Paul Downes:

There is certainly scope for dialogue with the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and the well-being framework around the universal level and moderate risk group-based approach to see whether there is learning from having such a source or other models and programmes. I am sure NEPS would argue that it is looking at various strands of evidence of international practice. To be clear, a programme-based approach is much more the universal level and group-based moderate risk group. It is not just universally targeted; it is universal group-based moderate risk approaches and then complex and chronic need individual one-to-one supports. My argument to this committee, and this is my third presentation here, is that one-to-one focused support is our major system gap in Irish schools. That is what the Minister has now sought to address. I note the Minister also stated that this new initiative will be separate from NEPS. There is, therefore, a clear focus on indicative prevention level, one-to-one specialist emotional counselling supports in schools and not referrals out from schools.