Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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29. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of psychologists available for students at primary and secondary level; the constitution of a case load for such a psychologist; and her views on the future recruitment of psychologists. [21872/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I can inform the Deputy that currently some 178 individual psychologists, equating to 68 whole-time equivalent staff, are currently employed in my Department's National Educational Psychological Service serving primary and secondary schools nationally. Arrangements for the recruitment of a further 3 staff are at an advanced stage in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service and it is my intention to raise the complement of staff to 173 whole-time equivalents in the current year. Additionally 5 psychologists are engaged on a temporary basis to replace NEPS staffing losses due to parental leave and schools have access to a panel of private practitioners through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments where their assigned psychologist is absent due to maternity leave or illness.

In general terms NEPS psychologists are assigned schools based on a weighting process which takes into account school size, DEIS status, gender mix and geographical spread and equating roughly to a 5,000:1 pupil to psychologist ratio.

In this context psychologists would engage annually on an intensive basis with some 60 pupils while also providing support and advice to school staff on broader educational and behavioural needs.