Written answers

Tuesday, 7 November 2017

Department of Justice and Equality

Garda Vetting Applications Data

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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521. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that have been Garda vetted annually since the process of Garda vetting was established. [46324/17]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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For the Deputy's information, I have set out in the table below the number of vetting applications processed by the Garda Vetting Bureau each year from 2005 to date.

YearApplications
2005933
200645,252
200780,283
2008137,049
2009156,799
2010223,313
2011276,520
2012222,145
2013342,023
2014323,521
2015318,814
2016360,395
2017 to date394,829

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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522. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons that have made multiple Garda vetting applications for different organisations in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017. [46325/17]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the Garda National Vetting Bureau does not keep statistics in respect of the number of individuals that have made multiple Garda vetting applications for different organisations.

The Deputy will appreciate that the primary purpose of the employment vetting carried out by the Garda National Vetting Bureau is to seek to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults and it is carried out by An Garda Síochána primarily in accordance with the provisions of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012-2016.

In this context vetting checks are conducted by the Vetting Bureau for each new application received to ensure that the most recent data available is taken into account. This is because once there has been any significant lapse of time between one employment and another, the original vetting disclosure must be reviewed to take account of any changes in information, such as more recent criminal convictions. Furthermore, the Data Protection Acts require that any sensitive personal data which employers use in regard to their employees must be current, accurate and up-to-date. Importantly, the general non-transferability and contemporaneous nature of the current process also helps to protect against the risk of fraud or forgery in the process.

The Deputy will wish to know that the Act provides for the sharing of vetting disclosures in certain circumstances by registered organisations, a facility which is of assistance in the health and education sectors, for example, in reducing the need for multiple vetting applications.

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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523. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the cost incurred by persons applying for Garda vetting since the process of Garda vetting was established. [46326/17]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that An Garda Síochána does not charge a fee for the processing of Garda Vetting applications by the National Vetting Bureau. The question of fees, if any, that may be charged by a given organisation for the administrative services it provides to applicants is a matter for the individual organisation concerned.

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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524. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the annual costs incurred by the Exchequer in processing Garda vetting applications for each year to date since the process of Garda vetting was established. [46327/17]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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In the time available it has not been possible to compile the detailed information sought.

I have sought the information which the Deputy requests from Garda Authorities and I will communicate directly with the Deputy when it is to hand.

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