Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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127. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to allow the acceptance of statutory declarations due to the delays in the processing of Garda vetting applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40151/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Approval to work, or train to work, with children and/or vulnerable adults is granted upon successful completion of the recruitment and selection process which includes appropriate vetting checks with the Garda Central Vetting Unit. No individual may work or train with children and/or vulnerable adults pending the outcome of the Garda vetting process. Applicants already sign a declaration of good character as part of the application process. The protection of children is paramount and, therefore, a statutory statement will not suffice.

However, it is important to point out that there has been a substantial reduction in the turnaround time in the vetting of applications for Community Employment and backlogs are being reduced.