Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated additional cost of hiring a further 100 NEPS psychologists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36991/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can inform the Deputy that the average direct pay and non-pay cost per annum of employing an Educational Psychologist in my Department's NEPS service is €75,000 per annum. The estimated annual additional cost, therefore, of employing 100 psychologists would be €7.5m. It should be noted, however, that a recruitment exercise on such a relatively extensive scale would require in the first instance a comprehensive plan to increase the numbers of appropriately qualified graduates.