Dr. John Lawlor:

I confirm that every scout leader is subject to vetting. Approximately 200 leaders are vetted each month. That is a large volume and means that we have a very strong relationship with the Garda vetting unit. Vetting is imbedded in the culture of the organisation, but it is only one part of the application and induction process for a person who wants to work with us. For instance, any new scout leader is required to undertake a residential training course which includes between four and five hours of training in child protection and safeguarding issues before he or she can commence or attend a meeting. The process is rigorous. Garda vetting is part and parcel of what we do. It is a cornerstone of safeguarding and very important, but it is only one of the components available. If somebody seeks to join, the checking of references is very important. We need to know what the attitude of local leaders is to somebody joining a group. That gives some idea of the process involved. Garda vetting is limited in that it is only provides information on prosecutions and convictions, which are limiting factors. I cite a sad statistic from the United Kingdom. It is known that offenders could offend up to 100 times before coming to the attention of the police. Garda vetting is a very important cornerstone and part and parcel of what we do, but it is not all of what we do to try to ensure those who work with us are safe to work with children. I can advise that we are moving to a full cycle of revetting all of our leaders. It will be done on a three-year basis and is viewed as best practice in the sector. There are other additional safeguards. We look forward to working with An Garda Síochána and Tusla to tighten the safeguards in place in local groups.