Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of educational psychologists working in Kildare national schools; and the number of schools in the county that have no direct service. [39850/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All schools in County Kildare 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.

The latest figures indicate that 4.2 whole-time equivalent NEPS psychologists are involved in providing a dedicated service to national schools in County Kildare. The figures also indicate that 61 primary schools and five post-primary schools in the county do not have a direct NEPS service at present. However, in the case of County Kildare primary schools, approximately 50% of all pupils have a direct service from NEPS.

In addition, NEPS provides a service to every school and school community in County Kildare in the event of a critical incident, regardless of whether the school already has a dedicated service from a NEPS psychologist. Also NEPS processes applications for all schools for reasonable accommodations in certificate examinations and responds to queries on individual children from other sections of my Department and from the specialist agencies.

The number of NEPS 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 currently 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.