Written answers

Tuesday, 12 October 2004

Department of Education and Science

Psychological Service

9:00 pm

Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the NEPS will reconsider the claim by a person (details supplied) in County Carlow for the cost of private psychologist's assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24367/04]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Children in schools served by the National Educational Psychological Service have access to its service, free of charge, which includes the provision of individual psychological assessments where appropriate. Unfortunately, my Department is not yet in a position to offer this service to all schools. As an interim measure, my Department funds the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments. This scheme is primarily available to those schools that do not yet have access to the NEPS service. To allow all the eligible schools to have the opportunity to access the available funding, the number of assessments per school is determined by the number of pupils.

Whether a school is eligible for NEPS or for SCPA, the school principal prioritises pupils for assessment based on the teachers' knowledge of them. Funding is not available from my Department to reimburse parents who have arranged assessments from private practitioners. If the Deputy supplies the roll number of the school which this child attends, the National Educational Psychological Service will be able to investigate the matter further.

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