Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 9, 11 and 12 have a similar purpose, namely, to ensure that persons working in accommodation centres for persons applying for asylum are vetted. While it may not be widely known, this is already a requirement of my Department's contracts with persons or organisations contracted to provide such accommodation. Children are accommodated in many such centres.

I am proposing the particular wording in amendment No. 9 because it is important that the amendment is made to Part 1 of Schedule 1, which relates to "Relevant Work or Activities Relating to Children". The alternative proposal seeks to add this type of accommodation centre to the Bill by adding them to Part 2 of Schedule 1, which relates to "Relevant Work or Activities Relating to Vulnerable Persons". This is not the correct approach for two reasons. First, persons applying for asylum would not come within the definition of "vulnerable person", as defined by the Bill. Second, the reason for including this type of accommodation centre in the Bill is that many children are resident in the centres in question and the persons working with children accommodated in such centres or having access to these children should be vetted. As I noted, such vetting already takes place as it is required by the contracts entered into my Department. The amendment is a precautionary measure to ensure that irrespective of who is the Minister or what is the position in future, in so far as we have such accommodation centres, it will be clear that vetting is part and parcel of what is required.