Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full year cost of recruiting ten additional psychologists for the National Educational Psychological Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8378/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).

In regard to the Deputy's specific question the estimated full year cost of employing ten additional psychologists would be in the region of €7.5m.