Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
431. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has held any formal meetings since 1 January 2025 with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality regarding safeguarding-disclosure or re-vetting arrangements in the early years sector. [13462/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary purpose of vetting carried out by the Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB) is to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults. This requires a robust Garda vetting process that reassures the public, and in particular parents, that appropriate checks are conducted on people taking on positions of trust.
However, the Government is aware that concerns have been raised regarding certain aspects of the vetting process and I have listened carefully to the views of sectors affected.
Further to the work carried out by the Garda Vetting Review Group, steps are now being taken to implement a number of key changes to the vetting process that will ensure it remains robust and effective while improving the service to customers. While there were representatives from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality on the Garda Vetting Review Group, no formal meeting has taken place between the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality regarding the safeguarding disclosure and re-vetting arrangements in the early years sector since 1 January 2025.
Further to the work of the Group and input from stakeholders I'm conscious that aspects of the current vetting system result in a highly-segmented process. Furthermore, I believe that the vetting system should be updated to ensure that the burden of seeking vetting disclosures, particularly on volunteers and organisations working in their communities, is minimised to the greatest extent possible, while maintaining the present high standards.
In practice, and subject to a general requirement that vetting be renewed every three years, it is envisaged that this will mean that when a person is vetted for the work they will be or are likely to be involved in as part of their employment or volunteering within identified risk categories, the person would not be required to repeat the process if they were to move to another role within the same risk category.
These changes will require amending legislation and updated technical systems to support the revised approach and will make the process more efficient for volunteers and organisations, without compromising the essential safeguards that protect those in our care.
