Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
433. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No. 735 of 20 January 2026, the position regarding a timeline for the completion of the review of the Garda vetting procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13496/26]
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 the sporting and voluntary sector.
In this regard 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.
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.
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.
The Garda National Vetting Bureau received 633,563 applications for vetting disclosures in 2025. The current processing time for 85% of vetting applications is 8/9 working days.
In a number of instances, it is necessary to conduct enquiries with Garda stations and external agencies such as the Courts Service, Probation Service, and Tusla (the Child and Family Agency), etc. These enquiries are conducted for a multiplicity of reasons such as verification of identity; updating of incomplete records; and establishing outcomes of investigations. In such instances, processing times are significantly longer than the general average. Vetting can also take longer where a person has spent time living abroad.
