Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy. I am aware of the concerns people have in respect of delays in Garda vetting. It is important to emphasise at the outset that the primary purpose of vetting carried out by An Garda Síochána under the national vetting bureau Acts is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. Many organisations nationwide whose work focuses on the safety, enjoyment and comfort of children and vulnerable people understand that they must take all reasonable steps to ensure that only suitable people are recruited and employed. I know the Garda takes this responsibility very seriously. This requires a robust Garda vetting process that reassures the public, and particularly parents, that appropriate checks are conducted on people taking on positions of trust.

I am aware from talking to TDs, organisations and groups that there are a number of concerns about and issues with the current process, in particular the requirement for multiple re-vettings. My Department is working to consider solutions to these matters. The Garda vetting review group was tasked with ensuring that any changes to the vetting process kept it robust, efficient and effective while improving the service it provided. The membership of the group included gardaí, officials from my Department and Tusla, and other relevant stakeholders. The group’s primary focus has been to examine the means of strengthening the vetting legislation in a workable and effective manner, while seeking to balance this with issues that have arisen regarding the re-vetting period and the transfer of vetting across other similar activities, for example, with sports teams.

I have been updated on the group's work and have decided that a number of key recommendations should now be implemented, in consultation with all relevant partners. It is my objective to ensure the vetting system is fit for purpose and, to the greatest extent possible, efficient and future-proofed to continue to protect our children.

I have received recommendations and am working on them. The issues require me to engage with An Garda Síochána to ensure that it can process applications in the manner I would like it to.

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