Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools in County Limerick that have access to the national educational psychological service. [7786/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All schools in County Limerick have access to psychological assessments for their pupils, either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists or through the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, that is administered by NEPS.

Schools that do not currently have psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, which will pay the psychologist directly the fees for this assessment. Details of this process and the conditions that apply to the scheme are available on my Department's website.

NEPS provides assistance to all school communities that experience critical incidents, regardless of whether they have a psychologist assigned to them. Also, as regards all schools, NEPS processes applications for reasonable accommodation in certificate examinations, RACE, for the State Examinations Commission.

The number of NEPS psychologists has increased from 43 on establishment to 123 at present. The latest figures indicate that 13 primary schools in County Limerick have a dedicated service from NEPS at present — these figures take account of the recent resignation of a NEPS psychologist.

The Public Appointments Service recently concluded a new recruitment competition for the appointment of educational psychologists to NEPS and my Department is currently in the process of recruiting a further nine, four of whom are planned for the mid-west region — Counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary North Riding.

Mildred Fox (Wicklow, Independent)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she intends to fund an autism specific pre-school in Barnacoyle House, Newcastle, County Wicklow which has been in existence since February 2004; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow will no longer be in a position to fund this vital facility from 31 March 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7811/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My officials and the National Council for Special Education met representatives of the school referred to by the Deputy on Wednesday, 1 February, to discuss a range of issues. Following this meeting a comprehensive letter issued on 8 February to the school representatives outlining my Department's and the NCSE's position on the various matters discussed. The Department's letter covered a number of matters such as the need for a board of management, the process for applying for sanction for further classes for children with ASD, training and qualifications of staff and other issues.

It is now a matter for the school to proceed in accordance with the process that has been outlined to it in the letter of 8 February. This process involves making application for additional classes for children with ASD through the local special educational needs organiser. It will be a matter for the NCSE to process the application and in doing so to seek whatever additional information it requires from the school in order to enable it to make an informed decision. The NCSE can seek advice if required from the Department in relation to the application. Factors such as the needs of the individual children, levels of existing provision in the area and geographical location of the proposed attendees are matters that the NCSE will need to consider in processing the application.

The Department received a response from the school to its letter on 17 February and I understand that further correspondence is being submitted. A response will issue to the school in the coming days. I will continue to prioritise the issue of special needs education for children with autism and, in co-operation with the National Council for Special Education, ensure that all children with special needs are adequately resourced to enable them to meet their full potential.