Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
458. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason an educational assessment for a child (details supplied) showing literacy difficulties consistent with dyslexia was not sanctioned following the school's referral through the NEPS advisory support line; the criteria applied and the reasons this referral was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45225/26]
View answerWhere a school temporarily does not have an assigned psychologist due to a vacancy, it continues to have access to a range of NEPS services including:
- The NEPS Advisory Support Line. This line provides access for schools to support and advice from a senior educational psychologist in NEPS via a designated phone line available from Monday to Friday.
- Support from a NEPS psychologist in the event of a critical incident.
- The NEPS National and Regional Support and Development service for school staff also continues to be available to schools. This National and Regional Support and Development covers areas such as trauma informed practice, cluster group support for post-primary special education teachers and special class teachers, training for Student Support Teams and supporting reluctant school attendance/school avoidance behaviour.
- Access, through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), to a private educational psychologist on the SCPA panel for individual casework where a priority need is established.
Where a school does not have an assigned psychologist, the school can contact the NEPS Advisory Support Line for advice and support from a senior psychologist.
NEPS encourages schools to support children and young people using the Continuum of Support, whereby school staff use a problem-solving approach evidence-based approach to intervention for children and young people experiencing difficulties in the school context, including those experiencing literacy difficulties. This process includes initial screening at school level. Response to intervention is monitored and recorded in the Student Support File. The teachers, parents and child or young person are involved in this process. Under this model diagnosis is not required for a child or young person to access a number of supports that can be implemented at school level in mainstream classes such as special education teaching support and SNA support.
I have made enquiries in relation to the case referred to by the Deputy and I understand the school was in contact with the NEPS Advisory Support Line and that an assessment through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) was sanctioned.
