Results 9,361-9,380 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

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

Alan Shatter: I am satisfied that the organisations registered have been properly registered by the vetting bureau. I cannot predict whether some organisation may do something incorrectly in the future or if it will fall outside the ambit of the legislation. For example, an organisation could be registered and cease to be engaged in dealing with issues relating to children or vulnerable adults....

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. 9: In page 12, lines 36 to 43 and in page 13, lines 1 to 5, to delete subsection (3) and substitute the following:“(3) A nomination referred to subsection (1) shall be in such form as may be specified by the Bureau and shall include the following information in respect of the person nominated:(a) his or her name and, where he or she also uses one or more other...

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

Alan Shatter: Anyone in the State seeking to work with children or vulnerable adults in the circumstances detailed in the Bill must be vetted. The committee will discuss the Deputy's amendment later which includes the word "nationality". I am advised that it is not necessary to include it, but I will give the matter further thought before Report Stage, although it is not something the vetting bureau...

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

Alan Shatter: It may well be that the bureau is asked to vet someone but needs additional information which may well be distinguishing information. Three people could share the same name and the bureau would need to ask questions to seek clarification. For example, there might be a criminal record on the PULSE system and let us assume a popular name is John Murphy. There may be ten men by the name of...

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

Alan Shatter: That issue could fall under the same heading.

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

Alan Shatter: With regard to including the term "nationality", we have not yet discussed amendment No. 14. Are we discussing it in this group of amendments?

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

Alan Shatter: I shall respond formally to it. The effect of amendment No. 14 would be to require the bureau to make inquiries of police forces in other states.

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...

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).