Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 330: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position in respect of Garda clearance for those applying for jobs at home and abroad; if and the way in which clearance certificates are obtained locally or through the central vetting unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14092/06]

Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 334: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will make a statement on the concerns expressed by a child care network (details supplied) in relation to vetting. [14126/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 343: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the provisions that are in place for the vetting of child care workers; the number of many applications that are still waiting for clearance; the waiting time for completion of the vetting process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14142/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 344: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the provisions that are in place for the vetting of child care workers in FÁS programmes, private providers and child care workers whose country of origin is outside Ireland or who have worked for extended periods outside of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on plans for improving the current vetting process. [14143/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 345: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people that are working in the Garda Síochána vetting unit in Templemore; and the grades and duties of each member of the unit. [14144/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 330, 334, 343, 344 and 345 together.

The Garda central vetting unit, GCVU, was established in 2002 and currently processes vetting requests in respect of, inter alia, prospective full-time employees of the Health Service Executive and certain agencies funded by the Health Service Executive as well as in respect of selected employments in other sectors.

In 2004, an inter-agency working group on Garda vetting reported with a clear and focused strategy for enhancing national vetting arrangements. The strategy provides for an expansion of the GCVU's vetting service to all organisations that recruit persons having substantial unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults. The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by an implementation group on Garda vetting comprising key stakeholders. The GCVU has been successfully decentralised to new, custom designed office accommodation in Thurles, County Tipperary. Since its decentralisation in November 2005, new liaison mechanisms have been successfully implemented in the Health Service Executive and are now being extended to all organisations previously registered for vetting. Significant changes have been made in the work processes of the unit in order to streamline the processing of vetting applications, and these have resulted in an improved service being provided.

An additional 17 staff have been sanctioned for the GCVU to more than double its numbers from 13 to 30. As at 5 April 2006, the personnel strength of the GCVU is one Garda inspector, one Garda sergeant, one Civil Service staff officer and 23 Civil Service clerical officers. These numbers include staff of a newly established sub-unit, namely, the data protection processing unit, to process personal data access requests pursuant to the Data Protection Acts 1988-2003.

The expansion of the Garda vetting service to new organisations and sectors will occur by means of a phased roll out to an increasing number of organisations in the child care and vulnerable adult care sector, including to child care workers in FÁS programmes. To this end, a phased expansion plan within current resource capacities has been prepared and accepted by the implementation group on Garda vetting. This has resulted in an increase in the number of Health Service Executive personnel being vetted in the first quarter in 2006, as well as vetting being introduced for the Private Security Authority. A number of organisations from the voluntary sector are currently being identified for vetting services.

The expansion of the vetting service being provided by the GCVU is proceeding in a planned and structured manner in consultation with Departments responsible for child care. This expansion will continue until vetting is provided for all personnel working in a full-time, part-time or voluntary capacity with children or vulnerable adults. The vetting of persons whose country of origin is other than Ireland or who provide an address outside Ireland is dependent upon the timely co-operation of the relevant non-national authorities. Every effort is made by the GCVU to obtain this information.

The GCVU is currently in receipt of approximately 2,250 valid requests for vetting per week. In addition, the unit receives approximately 250 applications per week that must be returned to the sender for further attention before processing can proceed. At any given time there are approximately 10,000 vetting applications on hand within the GCVU. These applications are currently being processed to a conclusion within approximately four weeks from the date of receipt of a valid application.

For certain categories of person dealing with non-national authorities, the Garda Síochána provides a record of criminal convictions in the form of a police certificate. Specifically, police certificates may be obtained in respect of applicants seeking non-national visas, including those seeking non-national residence, to establish or register businesses in other member states of the European Union and non-national consular services, including those seeking non-national adoptions. Applications for police certificates may be made to the Garda superintendent in charge of the Garda district where the applicant normally resides or where the applicant normally resided in respect of persons now living abroad. Police certificates are not provided for child care clearance, as the latter is only available from the GCVU.