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

I am concerned by the newspaper report to which the Deputy refers. This matter serves as a timely reminder of the importance of carrying out adequate checks when school staff are being recruited. The recruitment and selection of staff whether for teaching or other positions in a school rests with boards of management, as employers. Good practice should involve the checking of recent employment records, qualifications, experience and names of referees. While many substitute teachers have previous experience of working in schools and may be known to the authorities in particular schools, there is clearly a heightened requirement for vigilance in checking the prior employment record where the person seeking employment is not known to the school or is approaching it for the first time. Good practice is warranted in any event, regardless of the specific issue with regard to safeguarding against any child protection risk.

In the context of child protection, the arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff are set out in Department circular 0094/2006, which issued to all schools in June 2006. This circular is available on my Department's website. The arrangements for vetting new teachers at the time of their initial registration with the Teaching Council — regardless of whether they are likely to enter permanent employment or take up appointments as substitute or part-time teachers — were introduced in 2006. The procedures also apply to prospective employees for posts that involve working with children, such as those relating to special needs assistants, bus drivers, bus escorts for children with special needs, caretakers and other ancillary staff in schools.

As the expansion of service by the Garda vetting unit is rolled out, my Department will be consulting the relevant education stakeholders on how best to introduce vetting of existing teachers that are working in any capacity — permanent, part-time or substitute — in the school system and other existing education staff working with children. The circular requires the vetting of any person being appointed to a teaching position — whether permanent, part-time or substitute — who has not been employed in the school system in the previous three years.

Irrespective of the position on vetting by the Garda vetting unit, where facts or information come to a board of management's attention calling into question a person's suitability to work with children, it is a matter for the board to be satisfied that the person is suitable to work in that capacity. The position will naturally have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. A board of management will be obliged to consider the various circumstances of the case, give due weight to all relevant factors and afford fair procedures to the individual concerned before making a decision.

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