Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers at primary level that are not currently Garda vetted; the number of teachers at secondary level that are not currently Garda vetted; the plans that are in place to ensure that all teachers are Garda vetted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38840/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff were introduced in September 2006. In late 2010, my Department issued Circular 0063/2010 which updated and clarified the requirements for Garda vetting as part of recruitment procedures for all teaching and non-teaching positions.

Responsibility for complying with the vetting requirements rests with the school authority as employer of school staff. However, as the Teaching Council is the registered organisation that liaises with the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) for the vetting of teachers, an indication of the level of vetting that has been carried out for teachers is that, as of July 2012, approximately 31,000 of circa 73,000 teachers who are registered with the Teaching Council have been vetted.

The Deputy will also be aware that in July this year the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence published the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012. This legislation will place the vetting of persons working with children or vulnerable adults on a statutory basis and will also set out the statutory requirements for the vetting of persons employed in schools.