Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Everyone will acknowledge that there has been a sea change in vetting and e-vetting. Vetting has been successful. I often receive queries from Deputies and others about particular vetting applications. When I make inquiries, I inevitably find that the applicants need to provide more information, have lived abroad for a number of years or have not applied via the e-system. The waiting time is now two to three weeks. By any criteria, that is good. We have invested significant resources in Tipperary and extra personnel have been assigned there in recent years. People have suggested that vetting does not need to be redone, but that carries risks where people have changed jobs. The office is getting through extraordinary numbers and a large amount of vetting is being done. It is part and parcel of the kind of society that we live in that this is necessary. The numbers are in the millions.

I take the Deputy's point, in that it is important that people not be inhibited in taking up jobs and that we have an efficient and effective system, but there have been major improvements. Significant moneys and personnel have been invested in this.

The target for 2017 is good, with 95% of all applications to be dealt with through e-vetting. As such, the majority of cases should be handled quickly. The previous target was 80% within five working days. We are watching the targets and trying to improve on them. They have been successful.