Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I want to follow up on the previous question I asked. To be fair, the Taoiseach may not have fully understood me. The question was not one about Garda vetting. It is welcome if Garda vetting is being extended and, in particular, that must include staff in privately run emergency accommodation for homeless people, which is essential. With regard to what happened earlier this year to homeless people, the alleged perpetrator there was fully Garda vetted, so this is not an issue of Garda vetting. The issue is that the Garda vetting did not offer any protection to homeless people. What happens in other jurisdictions is that the police force, if it has credible allegations - if it is investigating live allegations and has credible evidence - then moves quickly to inform employers or other organisations that there is a real risk to people who are vulnerable and at risk. That did not happen here. We cannot countenance a situation where that could happen again. I ask for that to be looked at and, in particular, for the safeguarding legislation advanced by former Senator Colette Kelleher in the last Oireachtas to be advanced quickly by the Government, which was the intention in the last Oireachtas, I understand.

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