Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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In December 2022, as an immediate short-term measure, my department were delighted to introduce a bursary to provide financial support to Trainee Educational Psychologists for their professional doctoral training programme.

Since January 2023, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has supported bursaries for Trainee Educational Psychologists who are enrolled in the University College Dublin Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Mary Immaculate College Limerick’s Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology and extended the bursary scheme to the newly established Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology (D.Ed.Psych.) at Maynooth University commenced in September 2025.

The Bursary Award is paid in respect of course tuition fees, and as a contribution toward maintenance/living expenses only.

Workforce planning and the support of trainee educational psychologists are matters taken seriously by the department. To this end a review of the bursary scheme has been initiated in the last 6 months. This review remains ongoing. Any changes to the current scheme will be considered in the context of the Department's budgetary commitments.