Results 9,781-9,800 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Consultancy Contracts (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: It has not been possible in the time available to compile the information requested by the Deputy. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: Deputy Collins will be raising the topical issue with me.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “ “criminal offence” includes an offence under the law of a state other than the State that corresponds to an offence under the law of the State, where the act or omission constituting the offence under the law of the other state would, if committed in the State, constitute an offence...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, to delete lines 31 to 37 and substitute the following:" "criminal record", in relation to a person, means--(a) a record of the person's convictions, whether within or outside the State, for any criminal offences, together with any ancillary or consequential orders made pursuant to the convictions concerned, or (b) a record of any prosecutions pending against...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: While I understand the intent behind the Deputy's amendments, I am unable to accept them. If accepted, they would contravene the provisions in the Bill that exempt private arrangements from vetting. Furthermore, these amendments would require the vetting of persons who provide any level of childminding for any period. This is not practical. As the Deputy may know, the Child Care...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 5: In page 8, lines 24 to 26, to delete all words from and including "means" in line 24 down to and including “Bureau” in line 26 and substitute the following:"means information concerning a finding or allegation of harm to another person that is received by the Bureau".The amendment will provide that specified information may arise from a finding or...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wish to draw members' attention to a matter. It would be appropriate to do so here or, indeed, further on in respect of another section. This section refers to the bureau being the national vetting bureau of the Garda Síochána under the existing Garda Síochána Acts. It would be possible for the vetting bureau to produce an annual report as opposed to its report simply...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: I draw the Deputy's attention to Schedule 1, Part 1, paragraph 5, which states: Any work or activity which consists of the provision of educational, training, cultural, recreational, leisure, social or physical activities (whether or not for commercial or any other consideration) to children unless the provision of educational, training, cultural, recreational, leisure, social or physical...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: If the person is not the permanent coach of a team, it is incidental activity. This would not be relevant to, say, me, playing soccer with a group of 17 year olds and explaining to someone on the pitch how to take a free kick. That is not the type of coaching envisaged. However, if I was coaching a soccer or Gaelic football team, I would have to be vetted. On the question of...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: On the timeframe issue, when the Government took office on 9 March 2011, the average waiting time for the processing of vetting applications was about 14 weeks. We have arranged for the appointment of new permanent staff to the vetting bureau. Some temporary staff were working in the bureau under the JobBridge scheme put in place by the Minister for Social Protection. While waiting times...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: If someone is asked to look after a soccer, cricket, Gaelic or camogie team for one day, no issue arises. The legislation envisages that someone might be briefly involved in this regard. During the Second Stage debate I made reference to a school sports day, on which parents help out once a year. There would be no requirement to have the parents of half of the school's pupils vetted....

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: Section 3(1) states: This Act shall not apply to any one of the following, namely:(a) any relevant work or activities undertaken in the course of a family relationship;We all know what this means. The section continues:(b) any relevant work or activities undertaken--(i) in the course of a personal relationship, and (ii) for no commercial consideration;(c) the giving of assistance by an...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: Yes, it includes the school caretaker, etc. These are all persons in contact with children or vulnerable adults on a regular basis.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: Yes, by section 3(1)(c).

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: The difference is between what I would describe as public and private arrangements. It would not be remotely practical for a parent giving a child or some children a lift to have to be vetted. Where there is a commercial arrangement, involving the school bus driver or a bus hired by a team on a weekly basis to take a team of 14-year-olds or 15-year-olds somewhere, for example, it would fall...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, subsection (1), lines 19 and 20, to delete all words from and including "establish," in line 19 down to and including "Part" in line 20 and substitute the following:"cause to be established and maintained in accordance with this Part,".This is a minor technical amendment to make it clear that the bureau will not just establish but also maintain the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: Unfortunately I am unable to accept this amendment as it is unnecessary. The Data Protection Acts already apply both to criminal records data and the specified information database. The vetting unit is registered with the Data Protection Commissioner in accordance with the Data Protection Acts and its procedures for storing and accessing data are already subject to the oversight of the Data...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: Although we must finalise it with the Attorney General, the reference I made previously to the annual report with regard to the functions of the bureau is likely to be addressed in section 7. Perhaps I should have waited until we got there.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: The amendment is neither necessary nor practical and for that reason I am unable to accept it. It would create an obligation on the chief bureau officer to formally assess approximately 18,000 organisations that are already registered with the bureau and that are considered compliant with the criteria set out in the legislation we are discussing. It would also go against the purpose of the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2012)

Alan Shatter: In effect, the Deputy is suggesting what is close to a re-registration process. The amendment proposes that the chief bureau officer conduct an assessment of every one of the 18,000 organisations already registered. If they are registered and compliant with the provisions of the Bill, there is no purpose in such an act. We must ensure there can be a seamless transition from what is a...