Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 666: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason vetting is not being extended to third level students who require placements with agencies as part of their studies which may give them substantial unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22019/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The central vetting unit is run by the Garda Síochána. It is, therefore, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who has primary responsibility in this area. The vetting unit is responsible for vetting requests regarding prospective employees of designated agencies who would have substantial unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults. The designated agencies comprise more than 900 organisations. In the education sector, vetting is available in respect of requests for clearance from my Department in relation to bus escorts and special needs assistants provided for children with special educational needs and staff working in children detention schools.

A cross-governmental working group, established to put forward proposals for reform of vetting by the central vetting unit, recommended in March 2004 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 for 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.