A health watchdog inspection has found “major non-compliances” in Garda vetting at foster care services in Kerry, and some moderate non-compliances at similar services in Galway and Roscommon.

GAA chiefs are to issue a directive that every club and county board in the country must appoint a children’s officer in the coming year.

New research commissioned by the Irish Security Industry Association (ISIA) has indicated that while regulating the security industry has been welcomed, there are still unlicensed operators trading and not enough is being done to police them.

A NUMBER of childcare facilities and crèches cannot get their staff vetted by gardaí because of a backlog in the system, the Labour Party warned yesterday.