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Garda Vetting of Personnel

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2017

Tuesday, 7 March 2017

Questions (246)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

246. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with the delay in Garda vetting procedures for special needs assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12173/17]

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Written answers

In April 2016, the Minister for Justice and Equality commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Vetting Act) which put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable persons.

The Vetting Act applies not just to schools but to any relevant organisation that employs, contracts, permits or places a person to undertake relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable persons. When the vetting requirements were commenced last April, my Department issued circular 0031/2016 which set out the statutory vetting requirements applicable to schools along with the practical arrangements in place to support the vetting procedures. A Frequently Asked Questions document was also published by my Department to assist schools with queries in respect of the circular. 

Under the new statutory vetting procedures, the vetting of Ss and other non-teaching staff in schools continues to be conducted via the relevant diocesan office or school management body as the relevant conduit organisation for the vetting of such persons. In the case of ETB schools the relevant ETB is the relevant organisation for such vetting.  

The vetting legislation and the vetting procedures operated by the National Vetting Bureau fall within the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department understands that the vast majority of the bodies acting as conduits for schools are now using the National Vetting Bureau’s electronic vetting (e-vetting) facility.

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