Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will allocate more resources to the National Educational Psychological Service to ensure that all schools have direct access to immediate psychological assessments and subsequent supports. [34148/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since the establishment of the NEPS in 1999, the number of NEPS psychologists has increased from 43 to 123 at present. The Public Appointments Service has concluded a new recruitment competition for the appointment of Educational Psychologists to NEPS. Regional panels have been established to allow my Department give greater priority in filling vacancies to areas with the greatest need.

Four additional psychologists have been appointed in September to the Mid West region and one other to the South East region. These psychologists will be assigned to schools following their induction period of two months. A number of other appointments will be made as soon as possible. The recruitment process will continue in the next few months and priority for a direct service from NEPS in each region will be given to schools designated under the DEIS policy.

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 (SCPA).

NEPS also 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.