Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 435: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of teachers at first and second levels who have been vetted by the Garda vetting unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3373/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 436: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of teachers at primary and second level who have been vetted by the Garda vetting unit each year since vetting commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3374/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 437: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if special needs assistants have been vetted by the Garda vetting unit; if so, the proportion of SNAs who have been vetted each year since vetting was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3375/09]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 438: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the ancillary staff other than teachers in school who are vetted by the Garda vetting unit; the proportion of ancillary staff who have been vetted to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3376/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 435 to 438, inclusive, together.

The specific data on vetting requested by the Deputy is not readily available from the Garda Vetting Unit. The arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff are set out in Department Circular 0094/2006 which is available on my Department's website. The vetting arrangements were introduced in September 2006 for vetting of new teachers at the time of their initial registration with the Teaching Council.

An indication of the level of vetting carried out for teachers can be gauged from data from the Teaching Council which shows that to date a total of 14,960 applicants for registration with the Council have been referred to the Garda Vetting Unit for the purposes of having vetting done. The vetting procedures also apply to prospective employees for posts that involve working with children such as Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), bus drivers, bus escorts to children with special needs, caretakers and other ancillary staff in schools.

As the expansion of service by the Garda Vetting Unit is rolled out my Department will be consulting the relevant education stakeholders on how best to introduce vetting of existing teachers and other existing education staff working with children. The circular does require the vetting of any person being appointed to a teaching position who has not been employed in the school system in the previous 3 years.

Irrespective of the position on vetting by the Garda Vetting Unit where facts or information comes to a Board of Management's attention calling into question a person's suitability to work with children it is a matter for the Board to satisfy itself that the person is suitable to work in that capacity. This will naturally have to be assessed on a case by case basis. The Board will have to consider all the circumstances of the case, give due weight to all relevant factors, and afford fair procedures to the individual concerned before making a decision.