Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the waiting time periods in each county or region for a student to access his Department's psychological service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38014/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS.

NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of children but in common with other psychological services encourages a staged assessment process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention, in consultation with their assigned NEPS psychologist. Only if there is a failure to make reasonable progress in spite of the school's best efforts, will a child be referred for individual psychological assessment. This system allows the psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually.

The introduction of the General Allocation model for primary schools in 2005/06 means that children with high incidence special needs now longer have to wait for an individual assessment before they can get access to extra support.

Children who manifest very special or urgent needs in school and who have not been previously assessed by a psychologist and are brought to the attention of a NEPS psychologist by the Principal teacher will usually be assessed by the psychologist within that school term. Normally, principals of schools prioritise those children in need of psychological assessment in consultation with the assigned psychologist.

In the case of schools that do not currently have dedicated NEPS psychologists assigned to them, as I already mentioned, such schools have access to psychological assessments through the SCPA. Under this Scheme, schools can commission assessments from a member of the panel of private practitioners approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the fees directly to the psychologist concerned.

Should school authorities have specific difficulties with regard any of the foregoing I would suggest that they should contact the local NEPS Regional Director, contact details for whom are also available on my Department's website.

I can also inform the Deputy that there are currently 151 psychologists employed in my Department's NEPS service, including some 21 psychologists who have been appointed since the end of June last. Furthermore 7 individuals have agreed start dates with the service between now and early January 2009 and an additional 6 are currently considering offers of employment or undergoing the requisite Garda vetting process.

Additionally I was pleased to announce recently, in the context of Budget 2009, an increase in the funding available to NEPS with which it is envisaged that up to 50 further psychologists can be appointed. Recruitment of these psychologists will begin early in the new-year from the existing panel of qualified personnel, until its depletion, and discussions commence between my Department and the Public Appointments Service in relation to the establishment of a new panel in this regard.