Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will reverse the decision to withdraw the on-site National Educational Psychological Service from a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary which has disadvantaged status. [30437/06]

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in South Tipperary where the on-site National Educational Psychological Service has been withdrawn; the reason for this withdrawal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30438/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 456 together.

All primary and post primary schools 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. 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. NEPS also provides a service to children with visual impairment irrespective of the schools which they attend.

All schools in South Tipperary identified as disadvantaged under the DEIS policy of my Department are in direct receipt of service from NEPS. The principal of the school to which the Deputy refers may contact NEPS and advice will be given in regard to the prioritisation of students for assessment under the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments.