Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 257: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of additional staff who will be required at the Garda vetting unit in Thurles, County Tipperary arising from the inclusion in the proposed childcare regulations of the need for crèches and childcare facilities to have staff and volunteers appropriately vetted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35635/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006 were made by the Minister for Children, Mr Brian Lenihan, T.D., on 29 September, 2006. These Regulations will come into operation on 2 January, 2007. Sections 8(2)(c) and 8(2)(d) of the Regulations provide that (i) a person carrying on a pre-school service shall ensure appropriate vetting of all staff, students and volunteers who have access to a child by acquiring Garda vetting from the Garda Síochána when the latter has set down procedures to make such vetting available and (ii) in circumstances where Garda vetting is not available for staff, students and volunteers who have lived outside the jurisdiction, by ensuring that these persons provide the necessary police vetting from other police authorities.

The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU), which is responsible for providing child protection vetting, is currently well advanced in the ongoing, phased expansion of its vetting service to all personnel working in a full-time, part-time and/or voluntary capacity with children and vulnerable adults. To facilitate this, staffing of the GCVU has already been more than doubled, from 13 to 30. In line with the current expansion programme of the GCVU and in the context of the aforementioned Regulations, it is expected that vetting will be expanded to the pre-school sector in early 2007. Existing staffing levels at the GCVU are adequate to meet existing and foreseeable demand, although this will be subject to continuing review as expansion proceeds.