Written answers
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Department of Children and Youth Affairs
Garda Vetting of Personnel
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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249. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the fact that Tusla currently applies for Garda vetting for its employees, that is, for the preschool inspectorate and that Tusla is the inspector of early years services' Garda vetting, if the Tusla Garda vetting facility can be opened up to early years services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2058/17]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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250. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the fact that Pobal currently applies for Garda vetting for its employees and Pobal administers funding to early years services' Garda vetting, if the Pobal Garda vetting facility can be opened up to early years services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2059/17]
Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together.
Two organisations are funded by this Department to process vetting applications on behalf of the early years sector. These organisations are Early Childhood Ireland and Barnardos. Neither Tusla nor Pobal have responsibility for processing Garda Vetting applications on behalf of the Early Years sector.
I am aware that there have been difficulties in relation to obtaining vetting disclosures for staff. I have provided additional funding to both Early Childhood Ireland and Barnardos to assist the clearance of the backlog of vetting applications that built up during the changeover from paper to e-vetting. In addition, officials from my Department will be meeting with both organisations in the next few weeks to discuss the administration of vetting applications, with the objective of endeavouring to ensure that the process works as efficiently as possible in the interest of early years services and the children attending those services.
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