Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

547. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who have yet to go through the Garda vetting procedures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18579/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The existing Garda vetting arrangements for the recognised schools sector operate on a non-statutory basis and have been in place for new employees since 2006. The number of teachers vetted under the non-statutory arrangements continues to steadily increase with about 54,000 of the 90,000 teachers on the Teaching Council register now vetted. The remaining 36,000 who have not yet been vetted are typically permanent teachers who have been in the same school since prior to the introduction of non-statutory vetting in 2006.

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, will, when commenced, put in place statutory requirements for vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable adults, including those working in schools. I have also recently brought forward the Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015 which is currently before the Oireachtas and which will underpin the central role of the Teaching Council in the operation of the statutory vetting arrangements for registered teachers. It is intended that this Bill will, when enacted and commenced, operate in tandem with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.

In relation to the operation of the forthcoming statutory vetting requirements for schools, a major focus of my Department is to facilitate, as far as possible, a smooth transition to the new statutory arrangements.In that regard, my Department recently published "Circular 0026/2015 - Advance preparations for the commencement of statutory requirements for Garda vetting under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 (the Vetting Act)" which outlines the preparations being put in place in advance of the forthcoming statutory vetting requirements.

It is also intended that all registered teachers will be vetted under the statutory vetting arrangements as soon as possible after the legislation is commenced. I consider itpreferable and more effective from a child protection perspective that the cohort of 36,000 teachers who have not been vetted to date, are vetted under the forthcoming statutory vetting arrangements for two reasons. Firstly the forthcoming statutory arrangements will include a check for both criminal offences and also any relevant "soft information" which is an important new element of the vetting procedures. Secondly when the Teaching Council Amendment Bill is enacted, there will a clear statutory basis for the Teaching Council to require such teachers to undergo vetting and for it to deal with any adverse vetting disclosure that might be received.

In the first year after the introduction of the statutory vetting arrangements the two key priorities for the Teaching Council will be to facilitate a smooth and timely flow of vetted teachers to the school system and to ensure that the vetting of the remaining circa 36,000 registered teachers who have not been vetted to date is completed as quickly as possible.