Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support the call by Senator O'Brien for a debate on the issue of sport and sports development. He spoke about funding for sport and we could also debate sponsorship of sporting organisations by drinks companies. We could have a wider debate on the potential of sport to create employment, which is an issue that merits further examination. I would welcome such a debate in the new year.

I also ask the Leader to organise a debate with the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, on the possibility of streamlining the Garda vetting process. We all appreciate the fact that the vetting process is vitally important in ensuring the safety of children and vulnerable adults. However, the system is cumbersome. Currently a person is vetted for a particular purpose rather than for a period of time. This means that an individual who is working with a number of organisations has to go through the vetting process several times. In the voluntary sector many people very generously give of their time to many organisations. In that context, it would make eminent sense to have a system under which a person is vetted on one occasion. That would bring greater flexibility and efficiency to the system. The individual could be vetted again after a period of two years. The volume of vetting in this country is very significant. It is expected that 350,000 people will go through the system this year alone. The current waiting time is about seven weeks. The elimination of duplication would bring much greater efficiency to the system and reduce the amount of bureaucracy involved. It is worth giving serious consideration to this suggestion and I hope the Minister will make himself available for a debate on the matter in the new year.