Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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The current scheme of Garda vetting is so ridiculous that this country is tied up in knots. One may have someone who works in a nursing home in Kenmare but he or she cannot work in a nursing home in Kilgarvan without being Garda vetted again. That proves that it is not just volunteers for arts festivals that are affected. I have raised the issue of Garda vetting with the Taoiseach in the Dáil Chamber because the current situation is ridiculous. We will continue to see if we can undo the blockage. It seems that such vetting takes up a lot of the time of the people who administer the system of Garda vetting just as much as it hurts local people and volunteers. The issue must be resolved.

Festivals receive paltry sums of money and must operate on a shoestring.

For the great work that they do, they deserve a whole lot more. The witnesses are very welcome here. I am sorry I was not in earlier and I probably cannot stay for much longer because there are so many things going on and it is hard, but we really welcome and appreciate the work that they are doing. I am not conversing with the other people here as much but I do know-----