David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the areas of the country where primary schools do not have access to psychological assessments directly through the National Educational Psychological Service; the steps she is taking to provide such a service to these areas; the number of primary schools that have and have not access to a direct service from the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13206/06]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools covered by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13340/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of post-primary schools covered by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13359/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 86 and 137 together.

All primary and post-primary schools 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 NEPS 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 and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly. Details of this process and the conditions that apply to the scheme are available on my Department's website. The prioritisation of urgent cases for assessment is a matter for the school principal in the first instance.

The most recent information indicates that 1,629 out of 3,284 primary schools — approximately 50% of schools and 60% of pupils — and 556 out of 750 post-primary schools — approximately 74% of schools and 75% of pupils — have a dedicated service from NEPS. In addition to the 556 post-primary schools serviced by NEPS, 46 Dublin vocational schools that have a separate educational psychological service from the City and County Dublin Vocational Educational Committees, VECs.

According to the most recent information, 1,655 primary schools spread across all areas of the country do not have a dedicated NEPS service at present.

The number of psychologists in NEPS has increased from 43 on establishment to 122 at present. The Public Appointments Service recently concluded a new recruitment competition for the appointment of educational psychologists to NEPS and regional panels have been established to allow my Department give greater priority in filling vacancies to areas with the greatest need. My Department is currently in the process of recruiting a further nine psychologists.