Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the requirement and the availability of child psychological services for each of the primary and second level schools throughout County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37950/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All primary and post-primary schools in County Meath have access to psychological assessments for their pupils through the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, or the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, administered by NEPS. Schools that do not have a NEPS psychologist assigned to them may avail of the SCPA. This scheme allows the school to commission assessments from members of a panel of psychologists in private practice approved by NEPS. The fees for these assessments are paid directly by NEPS to the psychologist. Details of this process and the conditions that apply to the scheme are available on my Department's website. As of October 2005, NEPS provides a dedicated service for 61 out of 107 primary schools, 57%, and 17 out of 18 post-primary, 94%, schools in County Meath. The balance of schools may access psychological assessment for their pupils through the SCPA as set out above. NEPS also provides assistance for all schools in the event of critical incidents, regardless of whether they have a NEPS psychologist assigned to them, and processes applications on behalf of students with specific learning disabilities for reasonable accommodations in certificate examinations. The number of NEPS psychologists has increased almost threefold, from 43 on establishment to 123. The Public Appointments Service recently established new recruitment panels for the service. Regional panels are in place and the Department is in the process of appointing psychologists. Priority will be given to filling vacancies in areas of greatest need.