Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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I was community volunteering co-ordinator for St. Peregrines GAA. Volunteering was structured and organised fantastically through Fingal County Council.

We overcame one issue, which always has puzzled me. I worked previously for Tusla, and in one year I was Garda vetted on five occasions. I was smiling in respect of the volunteer list. I wondered how we were going to get those people vetted, including some in our club who had been Garda vetted, albeit for GAA activities, and others who had not been Garda vetted at all because they were parents. Then, miraculously, it happened. While I know this is not the Department responsible, Garda vetting is very important in the context of volunteering. I hope it will be possible to have a conversation with the relevant Department regarding the creation of just one certificate. In other words, when being Garda vetting for 2021, I refer to the ability to bring evidence of that vetting around to other organisations so that it is not necessary to repeat the process continuously. Having to do that puts people off. It frustrates them, slows down the process greatly and is a major issue in respect of volunteering. We have a wonderful history of volunteering and that really was on display during the Covid-19 crisis through the numbers of people who were willing to help. I had nearly 90 people on a list, who were willing to go out every day to shop, to collect medicines from pharmacies or to cut grass or whatever was required by older and vulnerable citizens. I would welcome some co-ordination in the system about volunteering and how it might be possible to get one certificate and to avoid wasting Garda time with vetting.