Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If the person is not the permanent coach of a team, it is incidental activity. This would not be relevant to, say, me, playing soccer with a group of 17 year olds and explaining to someone on the pitch how to take a free kick. That is not the type of coaching envisaged. However, if I was coaching a soccer or Gaelic football team, I would have to be vetted.

On the question of responsibility for compliance with the legislation, it rests with the individual club or organisation rather than the overall governing body. Equally, if the FAI as a governing body was to employ a coach for the Republic of Ireland under 16 soccer team, it would have to ensure the appropriate vetting was undertaken of that coach. On the assumption that the under 16 year olds would come from a variety of clubs playing schoolboy league football, the individual clubs would not be held responsible for the failure of the FAI in these circumstances. The requirement in this area is reasonably straightforward. We do our best to respond to queries about the legislation. I will try to ensure outstanding queries from particular sports organisations are addressed and responded to in a reasonable way in order that there is no confusion. An important aspect of the legislation is to ensure people, including clubs and sports organisations, are informed as to how it is intended to work and will work, when enacted.