Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide details on the commencement of the National Vetting Bureau Act in March 2013; if all provisions in the Act will be commenced at this time; if the National Vetting Bureau will receive additional resources to process the applications in view of the fact that it is taking approximately 12 weeks for applications to be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5301/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Act was signed by the President on 26 December 2012. I am currently in consultation with relevant Departments in regard to setting an appropriate date for commencement of the National Vetting Bueau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.

The average processing time for vetting procedures is currently 9 weeks. However, seasonal fluctuations and the necessity to seek additional information on particular applications can result in this processing time being exceeded on occasion. All organisations are aware of the processing time frames for the receipt of Garda vetting and have been advised to factor this into their recruitment and selection processes. The Garda Central Vetting Unit currently processes some 300,000 vetting applications per year.

The Garda Central Vetting Unit, which will become the National Vetting Bureau under the provisions of the Act will have a substantially expanded role. The Minister is currently engaged with An Garda Síochána and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in addressing the staffing issues relevant to the coming into force of the 2012 Act. It is the Minister's objective to keep processing times as short as possible consistent with the need to maintain the overall integrity of the vetting system.