Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2013
522. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will simplify vetting for community volunteers, that is, one vetting procedure should suffice for volunteers carrying out different roles; if he will put in place a set time period and simplify the process for volunteers who will be reapplying, having previously satisfied the vetting process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49110/13]
View answerVetting procedures in this country are in place to protect children and vulnerable adults. As such they demand rigorous procedures to ensure their integrity and to maintain the highest level of confidence by the public and organisations availing of them.
To achieve these aims, a vetting disclosure is made in response to a written request and with the permission of the person who is the subject of that request. Garda vetting disclosures are issued to specified organisations registered with the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) for that purpose in respect of a particular post or employment. The Unit processed approximately 328,000 vetting applications on behalf of these organisations in 2012 and expects to receive in the region of 350,000 applications by the end of 2013. The average processing time for vetting applications is seven to nine weeks.
A full vetting check is conducted for each new application received to ensure that the most recent data available is taken into account. The non-transferability and contemporaneous nature of the certificate protects against the risk of fraud or forgery and is a guarantee of the integrity of the vetting service. It also affords the registered organisation the facility to assess suitability based on the most up to date information available on the applicant. The Deputy will appreciate that the safety of children and vulnerable adults is the primary consideration and this must remain the case.
The Deputy may also wish to note that elements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 are under review at present and a number of amendments are planned to the legislation prior to its commencement early next year. In the context of making those amendments, I will also be seeking to amend the Act to minimise the extent of duplicate vetting. In that regard I will be seeking to make explicit in the Act that where more than one organisation shares the services of the same volunteer/employee, they can share a vetting disclosure, with the consent of the person who has been vetted.
