Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the difficulty vocational education committees are having in accessing the central Garda vetting unit has been resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13515/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to vetting applications in respect of special needs assistants, SNAs, employed by vocational education committees. Under current arrangements, vetting applications in respect of SNAs are submitted to my Department for onward transmission to the Garda central vetting unit. It is proposed that, in future, apart from applications in respect of teachers, VECs will be responsible for submitting vetting applications in respect of their employees, including SNAs, direct to the central Garda vetting unit. Guidelines for school authorities are being prepared and will be issued shortly. Pending the issue of the guidelines, VEC applications in respect of SNAs may be submitted through my Department.