405 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on concerns of a school (details supplied) over the payment of psychologists who were commissioned by the school to carry out urgently needed test on four children; his further views on the other concerns itemised by the school authorities in respect of the NEPS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30604/01]

The scheme for commissioning psychological assessments has been operating since September 2001. My Department provided funding for this scheme with the main objective of allowing access to psychological assessments for those schools to which the national educational psychological service, NEPS, does not yet offer a service. Schools that have access to the full NEPS service such as the school referred to in the question are allowed to avail of the scheme only under exceptional circumstances. However, I recognise the disadvantaged nature of the catchment area to the school and I have asked NEPS to re-examine this particular instance.

With regard to the other concerns of the school in relation to the NEPS service, the management of NEPS has informed me that the school was one of the first primary schools in the country to have access to my Department's psychological service. It was included in the primary school psychological service pilot project 1990-94, and continued to receive a psychological service after the project had ended.