National Schools in Longford and Leitrim are to be part of the roll out of a new free counselling service from the Government.
This pilot scheme, costing 5 million euro, would provide free counselling services to primary school children across seven counties.
Officials would help schools establish a panel of counsellors, as well as identifying students who would benefit the most.
The programme is designed to recognise the impact of COVID-19 on primary school-aged children and will work to help those facing mental health challenges.
The initiative is to be trialed in Longford, Leitrim, Cavan, Laois, Mayo, Monaghan, and Tipperary.
Reacting to the announcement today, Longford Westmeath Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty says the project will help teachers identify and help students going through a tough time.
''We are very much aware that the frontline in a lot of our services in health, mental health and wellbeing are our schools and we saw this throughout covid when our schools were closed and many of our schools in disadvantaged areas and it's in those schools that students and parents probably suffered the most adversely . It's very important that this service is coming on stream and it's being delivered through schools and it will work with existing services, the educational psychologist when in place will be key in identifying the young pupils who the counsellor can start to work with.''
