Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

In 1999, when NEPS was established, undertakings were given by the then Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, that within five years he would establish a programme of psychological assessment throughout the country. NEPS aims were to develop a local and accessible psychological service at primary and second level following best practice in all cases. If ever a situation highlighted a Government's failure this one does as eight years later the original estimate of 200 psychology professionals in the service has not been achieved by a long shot.

We have 131 psychologists for the entire country. However, as the Minister of State and the Minister, who has just left the Chamber, know, in counties such as Longford only 18% of students are covered by the service. The figure for north Tipperary is 34%, for south Tipperary it is 26% and for Kilkenny it is 21%. These statistics counter the argument made by the Government during this debate with regard to its success.

Despite the fact that in January this year, prior to the election, the Minister stated 31 additional people would be appointed, only seven appointments have been made with one more promised for December. How can we tell students in need of psychological assessment and their parents that this is a comprehensive service? The responsibility is not only thrown at schools and parents but also at charities. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul pays for 20 assessments on a weekly basis.

How can the Minister be proud of the service she delivers when she has failed miserably? The reason she asked the Minister of State, Deputy Devins, to co-ordinate between the Departments of Health and Children and Education and Science is that she has seen her failure and is unable to attend to it. She does not have the willingness and determination at Cabinet level to seek resources because she would be refused and told to make do with what she has and organise it properly. She has failed to do so.

Seeing the 842 people in County Galway who await speech and therapy services makes one realise how inadequate is the service. The greater Dublin area has a reasonably good service. The rest of the country falls far behind. How can any Minister justify this in terms of access to a national scheme?

We need an immediate increase in the number of NEPS psychologists. However, they are not being trained and the Minister knows this. A total of eight psychologists are trained here per year and they are asked to complete two additional years of post-graduate work. The bar for appointments is set so high that we cannot get people to enter the service and adequately deliver it.

The idea of having two separate Departments involved in the delivery of this service means people fall between two stools and lose out. The Minister repeatedly referred to the importance of early intervention in the provision of these services. However, she has failed to deliver any service at any stage.

Recently, two people with two children returned from the United States to live in my constituency. They had state-of-the-art services in the United States but came to a rural school in County Galway where one of the children was offered 15 minutes speech and language therapy per week. When they requested more and offered to pay for it they were denied the opportunity to obtain it in that school. They almost returned to the United States until a benefactor helped them access the service. If only 43% of schools are covered the Minister must accept that she has failed.

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