Over 1,000 primary schools and about 20 per cent of second-level schools have no educational psychologist, according to new figures.
A confidential meeting of the National Education Psychological Service (Neps) was also told that plans to recruit an additional 17 psychologists has been abandoned because of public service cutbacks.
The jobs cannot be filled because the Department has already exceeded its overall recruitment quota.
Last night, the Department of Education and Science said new posts in the service had recently been advertised. A spokeswoman said no decision had been taken about staff levels. But she said that Neps, like other areas of the public service, would have to meet recruitment guidelines.
This week's Neps meeting also heard that its offices in several cities are unused because the Department will not sanction the administrative appointments necessary to run them.
Education sources say Neps is dismayed with what it sees as the scaling down of its role.
In reference to the recent recruitment of an extra 660 special needs teachers one source said: "What is the point of having more special needs teachers if there is no psychologists to support them?"
Educational psychologists play a key role in identifying pupils with special needs.
They also provide support where a school is faced with traumatic events, such as the sudden death of a member of the school community.
Established in 1999, Neps was given the target of providing one psychologist for every 5,000 school-children in the State with a staff of some 200 psychologists.
But this week, a strategic review - conducted internally - heard that this objective was not being met. Neps employs a total of 128 psychologists.
The internal strategic review was also told there is no prospect of Neps being able to extend its service to Youthreach services in the foreseeable future as envisaged. Plans to provide some service to pre-school children have also been suspended. Last night, the INTO general secretary, Mr John Carr, said that the Neps service only covers about two-thirds of primary schools.
He also said that there were huge parts of the west of Ireland where there is no service. "This is unacceptable. The development of a psychological service to schools is a key part of the education system."
Last night, the Department pointed out that staff numbers at Neps have increased substantially since 1999. It said that the service was also being augmented by the newly established National Special Needs Council.
