Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which the budgetary cuts are expected to impact in respect of psychological assessment requirements at all schools here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12359/09]

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 psychologists employed by my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through a panel of private practitioners under the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered by NEPS.

As the Deputy will be aware I was pleased to announce in the context of Budget 2009 an increase in the funding, in the order of €4.75m, available to the National Educational Psychological Service with which it is envisaged that up to 50 further psychologists can be appointed.