Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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368. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of psychologists currently employed by NEPS; the number of sanctioned psychologist posts in NEPS; the estimated full-year cost of running NEPS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35655/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for his question regarding my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

NEPS provides educational psychological support to all primary, post-primary, and special schools.

NEPS provides all schools with:

• 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 via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA),
• the School Staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools,
• ongoing access to advice and support for schools, and
• an advisory service to schools where a psychologist is not available due to a vacancy.

• Pay: €29,400m
• Non-pay (includes funding for initiatives such as the Counselling in Schools Primary Pilot): €11,026m