Kehoe welcomes the deployment of 25 extra staff for Garda vetting

GOVERNMENT CHIEF WHIP Minister Paul Kehoe TD has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter TD, that 25 additional staff have been deployed to the Garda Central Vetting Unit.

The additional 25 staff will be re-deployed to the Garda Central Vetting Unit from the Department of Agriculture. The Unit, will be renamed as the National Vetting Bureau following commencement of Section 28 of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act, will have a substantially expanded role under new legislation.

“I have been contacted by many people who have experienced delays when it comes to receiving Garda vetting. I’m pleased that 25 extra staff have now been deployed to The National Vetting Bureau to help with the demands brought about by the new vetting legislation are met. Processing times are currently 8 to 10 weeks and last year processed some 350,000 applications in 2012,” said Minister Paul Kehoe.

Under the new vetting legislation, the types of work or activities that require vetting include:

Childcare services;
Schools;
Hospitals and health services;
Residential services or accommodation for children or vulnerable persons;
Treatment, therapy or counselling services for children or vulnerable persons;
Provision of leisure, sporting or physical activities to children or vulnerable persons;
Promotion of religious beliefs.
“This new legislation will ensure more vetting of everyone who works with children. By increasing the staffing resources at the National Vetting Bureau, it will now be equipped to turnaround applications in a more timely fashion”.