Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on the vetting procedures in place in all schools; the persons to whom such procedures apply; the numbers being vetted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2900/05]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if legislation is being prepared to place vetting at all schools on a statutory basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2947/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 58 together.

The central vetting unit run by the Garda Síochána is responsible for vetting requests in relation to prospective employees of designated agencies who would have substantial unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults. The designated agencies comprise over 900 organisations. In the education sector, vetting is available in respect of prospective employees of children detention schools as well as special needs assistants and bus escorts to children with special needs. The vetting unit would have information on the numbers being vetted.

A cross-governmental working group, established to put forward proposals for reform of vetting by the central vetting unit, has recommended the expansion of its services to include all people working with children and vulnerable adults. To this end, the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has announced a major increase in the resources to be provided to the Garda vetting unit to improve the level of vetting available to employers who employ people to work with children and vulnerable adults. The initiative includes the more than doubling of staff resources for the unit. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has appointed an implementation committee to give effect to the group's recommendations. The introduction of legislation to ensure the maintenance of a national criminal records system within the Garda Síochána is being examined in this context.

In the context of non-Garda vetting, relating to employment history rather than criminal records, the working group also recommended that the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children explore the possibility of developing an employment history register, similar to the PECS system in Northern Ireland. The two Departments are in contact on this issue.

The teaching council also has a role here. When it is established, the council will provide the teaching profession, both primary and post-primary, with the means to self-regulate and its functions will include maintaining a register of teachers and if necessary removing the names of those shown to be unfit to teach, including those unfit to teach by reason of the fact that they pose a threat to children.