Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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506. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on the funding allocated to educational psychologists in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55573/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department provides a school-based psychological service to all recognised primary and post-primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice to support the wellbeing, and the academic, social and emotional development of all learners.

The NEPS service provides access for all schools to: Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident; A Casework Service for individual children where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment; A school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools and; Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.

This overall approach allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent individual cases and, through supporting school staff, to benefit many more children than could be seen individually.

In 2021 the NEPS casework service extended to over 8,500 students. Additionally, under the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) process, private psychologists provided assessment to schools for over 900 students. Furthermore, the NEPS Support and Development service reaches an estimated 25,000 teachers annually.

NEPS was allocated a budget of approximately €24 million in 2022 to deliver its essential service.

There is currently in the region of 225 whole-time equivalent NEPS educational psychologists employed across the 8 NEPS regions, delivering a psychological service to our schools, having grown from a base of 173 posts in 2014.

As part of Budget 2023, provision for an additional 54 educational psychologists was announced to strengthen the NEPS service overall, and in particular to provide strengthened services for special schools and special classes.