Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments was introduced; the number of assessments carried out each year under this scheme since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35285/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of psychologists who have been engaged under the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments each year since the introduction of the scheme and their rate of payment per assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35286/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions 480 and 481 together.

As the Deputy will be aware 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). 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 and paid for by NEPS.

The SCPA was first put in operation for the 2001/02 academic year and the number of assessments undertaken per annum since its inception and the number of SCPA psychologists who engaged in those assessments is set out on the attached table for the Deputy's information. From the establishment of the scheme a fee of €330 was paid to SCPA psychologists for each assessment undertaken. From the start of the current academic year a reduction of 8% was applied to this fee pursuant to Government Decision S180/20/10/0964C of 3rd February, 2009 resulting in a fee of €304 per assessment.

Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments

Number of participating Psychologists and Assessments produced by year of Operation

Academic Year No. Assessments No. Psychologists

2001/2002 2,974 96

2002/2003 4,447 123

2003/2004 3,509 131

2004/2005 3,475 142

2005/2006 4,068 153

2006/2007 4,426 150

2007/2008 4,543 127

2008/2009 3,054 104

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the National Educational Psychological Service each year since its introduction; the number of psychologists employed in NEPS each year since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35287/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that the National Educational Psychological Service was established within my Department in 1999 and the table sets out the annual budgetary allocation and actual expenditure for and the number of psychologists employed by (as of October of each year) the service since its establishment.

I can inform the Deputy that my Department and the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is currently actively engaging with some 13 prospective recruits to the National Educational Psychological Service for assignment in the immediate future (four by the end of October). Discussions are now underway between my Department and the Public Appointments Service with a view to establishing a new recruitment competition to produce a panel of qualified personnel to continue the planned ongoing expansion of the Service.

National Educational Psychological Service

Budget, Expenditure and Psychologists Employed since Establishment