Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps she is taking to ease the backlog of Garda vetting applications for entrants into Templemore; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24153/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed by the Garda Authorities that there is at present no backlog in respect of Garda vetting applications for persons who are seeking recruitment into An Garda Síochána.

I am further informed that the vetting process for applicants to become Garda Trainees may vary depending on the circumstances of each individual application. There may be individual cases where it is necessary to conduct further enquiries, including with other bodies and agencies, and in these cases the processing times for applications may be significantly longer than the general average.

It is important to recall also that the vetting process is only one component of a number of components within the selection process for recruitment to An Garda Síochána. All of the elements of the recruitment process have to be completed before an applicant is deemed to be considered suitable and eligible to be recruited to An Garda Síochána.