Sinn Féin spokesperson on Law Reform, Equality and Integration, Pa Daly TD, has today announced his plans to introduce legislation which aims to simplify the Garda vetting process for volunteers and workers.

Teachta Daly said:

“The system of Garda vetting, set out in the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, is an important measure to protect children and vulnerable adults.

“Garda vetting is used in many professional and voluntary contexts, in both paid and unpaid roles. The vast majority of individuals do not have anything to fear from the process, and it helps organisations and companies feel confident in those they are hiring.

“However, the system can be burdensome for many, especially where volunteers are involved as people find themselves having to be vetted by multiple organisations.

“The legislation I am seeking to introduce sets out to provide a ‘Register of Generalised Consents’ which can help in situations where multiple vetting applications would otherwise have to be made.

“It allows an individual to apply for inclusion on this Register. This will allow multiple organisations to vet the individual in question without them having to complete the full process every time.

“In an era where many organisations can struggle for volunteers, this small measure should help volunteers by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, whilst protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”