Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am concerned because it is not mandatory. I accept that it would take time to implement and I am prepared not to push it if I receive a commitment from the Minister of State to examine this issue prior to Report Stage and that he will consider having everyone involved vetted over a period of time, for example, in the next three years from today whereby all individuals involved in the taxi business or work for hire would be appropriately vetted. This would mean that it would not have to be done by the next renewal date because I accept this process would be cumbersome and labour intensive. Once somebody was vetted, it could, as in the case of a medical check, remain valid for three to five years. There are concerns that people with a significant criminal past find their way into the industry and that this has not been taken into account. We need a stronger requirement that the NTA, over a period of time, ensure anybody involved in the business be subject to some level of Garda checks. It is not beyond the capacity of the Minister of State, the Department and the rest of us to come up with a workable solution which would not burden the vetting unit or make this a recurring requirement on an annual basis.