As the Deputy will be aware, the primary purpose of the employment vetting carried out by the National Vetting Bureau is to seek to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. It is carried out by An Garda Síochána in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016.
Garda vetting is conducted on behalf of registered organisations only and is not conducted for individual persons on a personal basis. A relevant organisation means a person (including a body corporate or an unincorporated body of persons) who employs, enters into a contract for services or permits any person to undertake relevant work or activities, a necessary and regular part of which consists mainly of the person having access to, or contact with, children or vulnerable adults.
I understand that relevant organisations which are registered with GNVB, that engage persons for work with children or vulnerable adults, are obliged to ensure that those persons are Garda vetted.
I hope the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot offer legal advice regarding retention periods for material on personnel files. Child safeguarding officers would receive vetting disclosures from GNVB, rather than submit information to the National Vetting Bureau.
