Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the categories of people working with children or other vulnerable people in respect of whom the Gardaí currently provide vetting procedures; if he has any plans to extend this to other categories; if his attention has been drawn to the recent case where a man sentenced to 16 years for multiple rape had been working with a homeless charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22120/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU), established in January 2002, currently processes vetting requests in respect of, inter alia, the following: prospective employees of the Health Service Executive (HSE); prospective employees of certain agencies funded by the HSE; childcare places funded by the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme; special education facilities; special needs assistants in the general education sector; school transports; and prospective adoptive parents and fosterers.

I am pleased to report that, under the guidance of a multi-agency implementation group, the vetting service of the GCVU is currently undergoing major expansion. This is being made possible, in part, by the provision of significant additional human and other resources. In particular, the GCVU's staffing complement has more than doubled, from 13 to 30 personnel.

The extension of the vetting service of the GCVU is proceeding in a planned and structured manner, following the Unit's recent successful decentralisation to custom-designed office accommodation in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, under the Government's Decentralisation Programme. Moreover, significant changes have been made to the work processes of the Unit in order to streamline the processing of vetting applications.

I am not aware of the specific details of the case referred to by the Deputy but in any event the expansion of the Garda vetting service to new sectors will occur by means of a phased roll-out to an increasing number of organisations in the child and vulnerable adult care sectors. This expansion will continue until vetting is available in respect of all personnel working in a full-time, part-time or voluntary capacity with children and vulnerable adults. This includes those working with homeless persons.