603. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she could clarify if there are any alternative assessment pathways when there is a shortfall of NEPS psychologists for those awaiting assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34819/26]

604. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth to establish if there is additional NEPS resources or temporary cover that can be provided in the area when there is a shortfall of psychologists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34820/26]

605. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a clear timeline for when affected children can expect to be assessed when key staff are unavailable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34821/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 603, 604 and 605 together.

Each year, NEPS staffing levels are evaluated and capacity to serve schools is established. There is currently a nationwide shortage of educational psychologists which has resulted in vacancies . Due to this shortage, it is not possible for all schools to have an assigned NEPS psychologist.

Where 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 psychologists on the SCPA panel for individual casework where a priority need is established. In order to join the panel, private educational psychologists must meet qualification criteria set by the Department. The scheme is an interim measure intended to supplement the NEPS service and meet current urgent needs for psychological assessment of children and young people.

Where a school does not have an assigned psychologist and is of the view that a child requires an educational assessment, the school should contact the NEPS Advisory Support Line. The senior psychologists who work on the NEPS advisory line can grant a sanction for a SCPA assessment to be carried out. These sanctions are issued on a case-by-case basis when the need is established. The senior psychologist will discuss each case with the school and will ask a number of questions in keeping with the NEPS consultation model of practice. It should be noted that a SCPA assessment may not be suitable for each case and the senior psychologist will work with the school and provide advice on how to proceed.

With regard to future staffing levels, my department is making every effort to recruit additional educational psychologists to address the shortage in the medium to long term. Public jobs frequently run campaigns for the recruitment of educational psychologists.

Since January 2023, NEPS has 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.