Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of psychologists that would need to be recruited to establish a ratio of one NEPS psychologist to 3,500 students in five years time taking into account projected enrolment; the estimated cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34233/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post-primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

I can inform the Deputy that my Department, over the course of recent economic difficulties, has not only maintained psychologists staffing levels within NEPS, but has increased them by some 10% since late 2008, to 162 whole-time equivalent psychologists currently employed. Vacancies currently existing within the current sanctioned limit of 173 w.t.e. psychologists are currently being pursued by my Department with the Public Appointments Service with a view to appointing suitably qualified personnel from the a new recruitment panel to be formed for this purpose.

The Deputy may also be aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government commits that we will invest additional resources in the National Educational Psychological Service to ensure earlier intervention and access for young children and teenagers and to offer immediate support to schools in cases of critical incidents. The Programme commits to bring the total number of NEPS psychologists to 238 from the current sanctioned limit of 173.

In order to establish a ratio of 1 NEPS Psychologist to 3,500 primary / post-primary students within five years and based on best estimates of enrolment projections would require the engagement of an additional 107 staff bringing the total to 269 psychologists.  The direct cost of these additional staff would currently be in the order of €7.9m per annum.