Legislative Process

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2015

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Questions (338)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

338. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 334 of 2 December 2014, in view of the UK Court of Appeal decision in a case (details supplied), her plans to address the ongoing delay in completing the drafting amendments required to the Spent Convictions Bill and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 in the view of the serious and significant impact on the lives of those affected. [2632/15]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality

The 2013 UK Court of Appeal judgment necessitated a review of the disclosure provisions in both the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the Spent Convictions Bill. That review has been completed and amendments to the Vetting Act and consequential amendments to the Spent Convictions Bill are currently being drafted. I anticipate that these amendments will be brought before the Oireachtas in the current session. The Bill will then be enacted at the earliest opportunity. Pending the amendment of the Act, an Administrative Filter for Garda Vetting Disclosures has been introduced, which provides that certain minor offences that are over 7 years old are no longer disclosed.