Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

In the education sector, vetting is currently done in respect of newly appointed teachers via the initial registration process with the Teaching Council. It is also done for prospective employees for posts that involve working with children such as special needs assistants, bus drivers, bus escorts to children with special needs, caretakers and other ancillary staff.

As the expansion of service by the Garda vetting unit is rolled out my Department will be consulting the relevant stakeholders such as school managers and the unions on how best to introduce vetting of existing teachers and other education staff working with children.

Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for this Government, parents, agencies that work with children and society generally. To that end, the programme for Government provides for a proposed amendment to the Constitution which will further strengthen our ability to protect our children by allowing the Oireachtas to legislate for the exchange of information that is not confined to information on criminal convictions. The programme is committed to putting in place the necessary structures and systems to increase co-operation on vetting and the exchange of all relevant information about those who work or seek to work with children and vulnerable adults.

Furthermore, there is a commitment to provide extra resources to the Garda vetting service and also to develop an all-Ireland approach to child protection.

It is important to recognise that though vetting is a vital and important process that currently can alert a prospective employer about a criminal record of a prospective employee who will be working with children, it has to be complemented through a general vigilant approach by the employer when recruiting, particularly though checking references with previous employers and probing any gaps in an employment record. This is as important for individual schools employing personnel as it is for any other employment where the care of children is a concern.

I can assure the Deputy that this Government is determined to do all that it can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe.

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