Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

It is a private matter. Agencies generally organise this and it would be their responsibility. We are currently examining whether we should have more robust requirements. The problem is that unless one lays down this principle as a matter of general legislation, one is in the area of practice. Ultimately, it is a matter for the HSE to intervene if an abuse is established. In so far as one wishes to establish an anticipatory system of checking, however, one must have a legislative requirement. Alternatively, in advance of that, one must get the relevant interest to co-operate. It is easy to accomplish the objective in sectors such as the HSE, which has been vetted for a number of years, and education, which is now embarking on this course, in addition to youth work and child care where there is substantial public funding and we can make it a condition of funding that checks be made. It can be much more difficult, however, in informal sectors such as the one outlined by the Deputy.

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