Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the procedure of the Garda vetting unit in checking the criminal records of persons who apply to it to be vetted; the length of time this procedure takes; the method used to check records of persons convicted prior to the introduction of the Pulse system; the length of the backlog in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46497/09]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is mandatory for youth workers or those with unsupervised access to children and young people to be vetted by the Garda Vetting Unit; if not, whether he proposes to make it mandatory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46499/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides employment vetting for a large number of organisations in Ireland which employ people, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, to work with children and/or vulnerable adults. These organisations are registered with the GCVU for the purpose of employment vetting. The GCVU conducts checks on the Garda Criminal Records Database in respect of each individual applicant and discloses the results to the registered organisation which submitted the application in respect of the individual concerned. The Garda Criminal Records Database contains criminal records which significantly predate the introduction of the PULSE System.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the average processing time for valid vetting applications received at the GCVU is 4 to 5 weeks. The processing time fluctuates depending on seasonal demands and the volume of applications received. The timeframe may be longer in cases where further enquiries need to be made.

A very large number of organisations who engage persons for roles where they may have unsupervised access to children and young people are registered with the GCVU and these organisations systematically avail of Garda vetting in accordance with best practice in child protection. It is not mandatory for youth workers or those with unsupervised access to children and young people to be vetted by the GCVU, save as provided for in section 8(2) of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No. 2) Regulations 2006, which stipulate that employees be subjected to Garda vetting when the Garda Síochána has set down procedures to make such vetting available. Such Garda vetting procedures are available to the pre-school services sector.

Legislative proposals to provide an enhanced statutory framework for vetting are currently being developed by the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in conjunction with my Department. A wide range of issues related to vetting and information sharing will be taken into account in this context.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the Garda Vetting Unit has in place a system of checking criminal records of persons who may have offended in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46498/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) has in place a reciprocal vetting arrangement with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This provides the GCVU with a system of checking the criminal records of persons who may have offended in Northern Ireland.