Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 62: 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. [19852/06]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of secondary schools covered by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19853/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 71 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.

NEPS provides assistance to all schools and school communities that experience critical incidents, regardless of whether or not they have a NEPS psychologist assigned to them. Also, in relation to all schools, NEPS processes applications for Reasonable Accommodation in Certificate Examinations and responds to queries in relation to individual children from other sections of my Department and from the specialist agencies.

According to the most up to date information, 1629 primary schools have a dedicated service from NEPS, representing 50% of schools and 60% of the primary school population. 556 post-primary schools have a dedicated service from NEPS representing 74% of schools and 75% of the post-primary school population. In addition, 46 Vocational Education Committee (VEC) schools in Dublin city and county receive direct psychological services from Dublin City and County VECs.

The number of NEPS psychologists 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 9 psychologists. 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.