Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the availability of child psychological services for each of the primary and second level schools in County Wexford; the procedure in her Department for evaluating the need for child psychological services in any given school or county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38870/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All schools in County Wexford have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS or through the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, full details of which are available on my Department's website. In addition, NEPS provides a service for every school in County Wexford in the event of a critical incident regardless of whether the school already has a dedicated service from a NEPS psychologist. Also in relation to all schools, NEPS processes applications for reasonable accommodations in certificate examinations and responds to queries in relation to individual children from other sections of my Department and from the specialist agencies.

Within each region and each county, the need for educational psychological services is informed by the local knowledge of and research undertaken by NEPS psychologists. Particular consideration is given to factors such as school size, the incidence of special needs and evidence of disadvantage. Where possible, schools are allocated to NEPS psychologists in clusters, i.e. feeder primary schools and post primary schools. The psychological service needs of individual schools are discussed by the NEPS psychologist with the school principal.

The number of National Educational Psychological Service psychologists has increased almost threefold, from 43 on establishment to 121 at present. The Public Appointments Service has recently established new recruitment panels for NEPS. Regional panels are now in place and my Department is in the process of appointing psychologists. Priority will be given to filling vacancies in areas of greatest need. Any increase in the number of psychologists in NEPS will depend on the availability of resources and must also take account of Government policy on public sector numbers.