Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2017
699. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to support Tusla to open its Garda vetting facility to early years services (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5829/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra700. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her proposals for services that experience high staff turnover in view of the fact it currently takes up to four months for early years services to receive processed Garda vetting forms for prospective staff (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5830/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra701. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her recommendations for situations where a child care service staff member offers two weeks notice of leaving and Garda vetting for a replacement staff member can take up to four months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5831/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra702. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to support services operating schemes for her Department that find themselves unable to recruit replacement staff due to the delay in Garda vetting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5832/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 699 to 702, inclusive, together.
Two organisations are funded by my Department to process vetting applications on behalf of the early years sector. These organisations are Early Childhood Ireland and Barnardos. Neither Tusla nor Pobal have responsibility for processing Garda Vetting applications on behalf of the Early Years sector.
I am aware that there have been difficulties in relation to obtaining vetting disclosures for staff. I have provided additional funding to both Early Childhood Ireland and Barnardos to assist the clearance of the backlog of vetting applications that built up during the changeover from paper to e-vetting. In addition, officials from my Department met with both organisations recently to discuss the administration of vetting applications, with the objective of endeavouring to ensure that the process works as efficiently as possible in the interest of early years services and the children attending those services. Further meetings are being arranged with both organisations.
