Fine Gael TD for Limerick, Patrick O’Donovan has raised the issue of time delays in getting Garda Clearance in the Dáil this week. Patrick O’Donovan raised the issue on foot of representations he had received from people working in the community and voluntary sector in Limerick who are trying to place people on schemes in both a voluntary and paid basis.
“I appreciate that the Garda Vetting Unit is under severe pressure in trying to get these vital clearances, which are absolutely necessary to protect children and vulnerable adults completed. This is having an unintended consequence on those seeking to take on volunteers, trainees and employees and in some instances is having a major impact on whether some of the schemes in question can continue.”
The issue was raised jointly by Patrick O’Donovan and John O’Mahony the Fine Gael TD for Co Mayo, and both said afterwards that they would continue to pursue the issue.
Patrick O’Donovan told that Dáil that he would like to see changes in the process where the issue of Garda vetting would become a more ongoing process, where information could be fed directly from the Courts Service and the Gardaí which could be then accessed by an approved person to issue a Garda Clearance Certificate.
In response to the issue, Deputies O’Donovan and O’Mahony were both told that the Department of Justice and the garda Authorities were aware of the delay and additional personnel had been allocated by the Government to try to speed up the process.
Speaking after the debate Patrick O’Donovan said he would be monitoring progress on the issue in the weeks ahead.
