Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools now covered by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34189/06]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of secondary schools now covered by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34187/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.

The Deputy will be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological services either directly from the National Educational Psychological Service of my Department or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments whereby the school can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists which is approved and paid for by NEPS.

Additionally 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.

As there has been some movement of staff over the summer months and new staff have recently been employed the final school allocation is not fully completed. The coverage for 2006/2007 will be available in early November (2006). The figures requested in respect of Primary and Post-Primary schools will be sent to the Deputy at that time.