Vetting Procedures.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004

Tuesday, 6 July 2004

Questions (379)

John Bruton

Question:

412 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the initiatives his Department proposes to implement to ensure that a safe validation procedure is put in place whereby employers can validate that the staff that they are hiring to work in their crèche or other child care facility, which is not run by the health board or the Department of Education and Science do not have any criminal record or history of juvenile of child abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20086/04]

Written answers

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

The Garda central vetting unit, established in January 2002, currently processes applications for criminal records vetting in respect of, inter alia, prospective employees entering full-time employment in the health care area who would have substantial unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults, as well as prospective child care workers on equal opportunities child care schemes funded by my Department.

The inter-agency working group established to examine the issue of expanding the services of the Garda central vetting unit, including to the kinds of groups referred to by the Deputy, recently submitted its report. This report, and its recommendations, is being given full and careful consideration, with a view to early implementation, as appropriate.