Shane Moynihan
Ceist:432. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of NEPS psychologists assigned to schools in Dublin mid-west. [64946/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 20 November 2025
Ceisteanna (432, 433, 434)
Shane Moynihan
Ceist:433. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of NEPS psychologist consultation sessions assigned to schools in Dublin mid-west in 2024, by school. [64947/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraShane Moynihan
Ceist:434. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of NEPS psychologist consultation sessions delivered by private contractors in schools in Dublin mid-west. [64948/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 432, 433 and 434 together.
I thank the Deputy for his question on the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). I would like to take this opportunity to outline the work of my department in this area more broadly and the role of NEPS. All schools have access to:
• General support and advice from a NEPS psychologist, either through the school’s assigned psychologist or through the NEPS Advisory Support Line. The NEPS Advisory Support 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.
• National and Regional Support and Development service for school staff, which is advertised through the Education Support Centres of Ireland and 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 to either a NEPS psychologist or a SCPA psychologist for individual pupil casework where a priority need is established. SCPA – the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments - is operated through the use of a panel of psychologists who must meet qualification criteria set by the Department. It is an interim measure intended to supplement the NEPS service and meet current urgent needs for psychological assessment of children and young people.
NEPS is made up of six regions. Regarding the Deputy’s question on staffing of NEPS in Dublin Midwest, I can advise that the constituency falls under Region 1and the total number of NEPS psychologists in Region 1 is 31.5 (WTE). The total number of psychologists working in NEPS at present is 231(WTE).
With regard to staffing levels more generally, my department is making every effort to recruit additional educational psychologists. Since January 2023, 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. 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 commit to joining NEPS upon graduation. There are over 80 Trainee educational psychologists in receipt of a bursary who are expected to join NEPS upon graduation.
The Public Appointments Service recently concluded a recruitment campaign for Educational Psychologists and successful candidates will be appointed shortly.
On the Deputy’s question regarding assessments, I can advise that NEPS psychologists provide a casework service for approximately 9000 children per annum nationwide. The psychologists may work directly with a child or young person, known as Direct Casework and this includes assessment, or the psychologist may work through teachers or teachers/parents to provide a psychological service for a child/young person, known as Indirect Casework.
The focus of the NEPS service is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with students whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. NEPS encourages schools to implement a Continuum of Support with each school taking responsibility for providing universal and preventative approaches, as well as early assessment, educational planning and intervention for students with additional needs.
A key part of this, as mentioned above, is the Support and Development work. The focus of the NEPS Support & Development Service is to help enhance school systems, to maximise a whole-school approach to creating school environments that are inclusive, flexible and responsive to the needs of all and to build school capability to provide evidence-informed prevention and early intervention support.
Question No. 433 answered with Question No. 432.
Question No. 434 answered with Question No. 432.