Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 April 2026
1393. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to expand NEPS capacity to ensure Ireland is aligned with other EU countries in terms of student-to- psychologist ratio; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25311/26]
View answerEach year, NEPS staffing levels are evaluated and capacity to serve schools is established. There are at present 242 educational psychologists employed in NEPS. This is a whole time equivalent of 235.
There is currently a nationwide shortage of educational psychologists which has resulted in vacancies. My department is making every effort to recruit additional educational psychologists to address the shortage in the medium to long term. Publicjobs frequently runs campaigns for the recruitment of multiple educational psychologists in addition to advertising for individual posts as they arise.
Since January 2023 NEPS has also supported bursaries for trainee educational psychologists enrolled in University College Dublin's Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Mary Immaculate College Limerick’s Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology. This has also been extended to students enrolled in the new professional doctorate in educational psychology in Maynooth University.?Those in receipt of a bursary support the work of NEPS through trainee placements in the service as part of their studies and commit to joining NEPS upon graduation.
