Following on from the disturbing Murphy Report recently published, which deals with child sex abuse in the diocese of Dublin, the Minister of State for Children, Mr Barry Andrews TD is proposing that the Garda Central Vetting Unit, currently based in Thurles, be put on a statutory basis with responsibility for the management of all soft and hard information relevant to allegations or suspicions of child abuse in the State.
Barry Andrews TD
This statutory body, now proposed, would run similar to the layout of the present Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB, An Biúró um Shócmhainní Coiriúla) and the first stages of a bill is currently being prepared, in co-operation with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, for eventual presentation to the Government.
The proposed agency will be led by the Gardaí, with the HSE, Revenue Commissioners, Department of Social and Family Affairs and other relevant support groups working closely under their leadership.
This expected legislation will automatically take into account each persons constitutional rights, the right to equality before the law, the right to privacy, the right to a good name, and the right to earn a livelihood.
Contrary to popular belief the Thurles Garda Central Vetting Unit, which was decentralised to Thurles, Co.Tipperary in 2007, does not provide clearance for persons to work with children, vulnerable adults or any other capacity. The function of the Garda Vetting Unit and the vetting process has been to disclose details regarding all prosecutions, whether successful or not, whether pending or completed, and – or all convictions.
It will therefore be interesting to see how this proposed new body will co-exist if approved by government.
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