Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 March 2026
84. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will clarify if access to cognitive or psychological assessment remains available where there is evidence of significant intra-individual discrepancy, asynchronous development, or unexplained underachievement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22567/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra124. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if access to cognitive or psychological assessment remains available where there is evidence of significant intra-individual discrepancy, asynchronous development, or unexplained underachievement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22845/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 124 together.
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.
• Support from a NEPS psychologist in the event of a Critical Incident.
• National and Regional Support and Development service for school staff which 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 for individual casework where a priority need is established to either a NEPS psychologist or a private educational psychologist on the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) panel.
NEPS does not operate waiting lists. In common with other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS operates on a consultative model of service. There is a focus on the individual assessment work that NEPS carries out in schools, however, assessments are only one aspect of the NEPS service.
NEPS encourages schools to support children and young people using the Continuum of Support, whereby school staff use a problem-solving approach, including school screening (assessment) and evidence-based intervention, for children and young people with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. The response to intervention is monitored and recorded in the Student Support File. The teachers, parents and child are involved in this process. This model means that pupils do not need a diagnosis of a disability in order to access additional support in school.
If a school has concerns that a child or young person is not making reasonable progress following evidence informed support and intervention, the school may prioritise the involvement of NEPS to support the identification of need process. The involvement of the NEPS psychologist can be helpful to support the identification of need process.
