Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of NEPS psychologists to be recruited during 2004; the number currently employed within the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14290/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Since the beginning of 2004, my Department has been engaged in a process to recruit five additional psychologists to the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS. Four of the five started on 19 April 2004 and a fifth is expected to join shortly. There are 127 psychologists currently employed in NEPS, including the four new entrants. Further recruitment of psychologists to NEPS will depend on the availability of resources and must also take account of Government policy on public sector numbers.

I have also allocated funding to NEPS to allow for the commissioning of psychological assessments from private practitioners. The scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, is an interim measure aimed at providing a service to schools that do not yet have access to the psychological service provided by NEPS.