The phased expansion of Garda vetting services commenced in the first quarter of this year and is proceeding apace, in co-operation with the relevant client sectors and the associated Government Departments and Agencies. This expansion will continue until all organisations which recruit persons to work in a substantial, unsupervised capacity with children and vulnerable adults can avail of the Garda Síochána's vetting service.
In this regard, expansion has already occurred to, inter alia, the primary and post-primary education sectors, the youth work sector and a range of health and social services sectors.
In respect of the childcare sector, the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) is ready to commence expansion of its vetting service, on a phased basis, to all such service providers from early 2007, subject to agreement on appropriate liaison mechanisms for the sector, including the identification of a sectoral central point of contact to manage vetting applications and disclosures thereon.
With regard to institutional care homes, the GCVU has registered and trained the sector and vetting has now been extended to each such home.
Finally, the current processing time within the GCVU in respect of valid vetting applications is less than four weeks.