Minister for Justice Alan Shatter
Approximately 55,000 people are waiting for Garda clearance, which will enable them to work with vulnerable adults and children in community and voluntary services, latest figures from the Department of Justice have confirmed.
Around 290,000 individuals were vetted last year, however it is deemed necessary for people who have been ‘Vetted and Cleared‘ already once by the gardaí, that they must be vetted again, should they choose to work for a different organisation.
The Department of Justice, claim that the average waiting time is estimated at 10 weeks, however, many awaiting clearance state that they have been waiting for up to 16 weeks for clearance and cannot take up their appointed rolls due to these delays.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has stated his concerns at the length of time taken to process these vetting applications. He also confirmed that the Department of Finance had sanctioned the recruitment of 10 temporary employees to the GCVU in Thurles, Co Tipperary and these are now being recruited.
A report by the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, chaired by Mary O’Rourke TD, which reported on the 11th September 2008, recommends that legislation be introduced to regulate and control the manner in which records of criminal convictions and information including “soft information” can be stored and deployed by An Garda Síochána and other Statutory Agencies for the purpose of child Protection.
I have been waiting 5 months for a garda clearance certificate.
Hi Sheila,
Sorry to hear this, regret that this is being caused, we understand, by large demand and public service embargo.
I regret I cannot help you.
Interviewed and was successful in a Social Care position Aug 2011. It is now almost April 2012 and I’m still waiting for Garda vetting so I can start. Hands down this is absolutely ridiculous. I’m drawing social welfare in the meantime. Only in Ireland, disgraceful.