Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 137: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason it is taking so long to roll out the mechanisms for Garda vetting of employees of all organisations that work with young people, in particular childcare workers and sports organisations as priorities; the time frame that has been established for the expansion of this urgently needed service; when additional funding will be made available for the necessary staffing and resources to complete the expansion of this service; and the progress being made with the Health Service Executive with a view to establishing mechanisms to manage Garda vetting applications for the childcare sector. [40811/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 138: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason a childcare organisation (details supplied) has not been able to get Garda clearance for their childcare workers despite being a FÁS sponsored organisation and the fact that the delays are jeopardising their ability to provide a vital service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40812/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.

The phased expansion of Garda vetting services commenced in the first quarter of this year and is proceeding apace, in co-operation with the relevant client sectors and the associated Government Departments and Agencies. This expansion will continue until all organisations which recruit persons to work in a substantial, unsupervised capacity with children and vulnerable adults can avail of the Garda Síochána's vetting service.

The expansion process is being phased for sound administrative reasons in both the Garda organisation and the client sectors, having regard to the lessons learned from international experience in the widespread provision of criminal record vetting services. I do not accept that this expansion process is 'taking too long'.

In this regard, expansion has already occurred in respect of, inter alia, the primary and post-primary education sectors, the youth work sector and in a range of health and social services sectors.

Substantial additional human and other resources have already been provided to the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) in order to respond to the increased demand for vetting, including a more than doubling in the number of staff assigned to the Unit. Requirements in this regard are subject to continual review.

In respect of the sports sector, the GCVU has already provided training to the Irish Sports Council and arrangements are now being put in place to extend vetting on a phased basis to an increasing number of sports organisations.

In relation to the pre-school/childcare sector, I understand that the Health Service Executive is engaging with this sector to support the development of an arrangement whereby providers in that sector will have access to vetting. The GCVU is ready to commence, on a phased basis, the further expansion of the vetting service to this sector, including to the childcare organisation in question, from January 2007, subject to agreement on appropriate liaison mechanisms, including the identification of a sectoral central point of contact to manage vetting applications and disclosures thereon.