FG aims to extend vetting of workers

PLANS by Fine Gael to extend the system of vetting people who work with children have been welcomed by CARI, the national voluntary organisation providing therapy to sexually abused children.

Fine Gael said the Central Vetting Unit, established last year and operated by the gardaí was both inadequate and extremely restricted.

The party wants the new vetting procedure to apply to all those who have unsupervised access to children in the workplace. This would include health board staff, teachers, charities and sporting and youth organisations.

Under Fine Gael proposals a person’s details will be added to a list held by the central vetting unit if it receives information from managers and employers in relation to sexual misconduct; physical or emotional abuse; theft or substance abuse.

Only full-time health board employees are vetted under the current system and most are not vetted at all, according to the 2002 Irish Social Services Inspectorate Report.

CARI clinical director Eileen Prendiville said it was time for a vetting procedure that kept children safe and said prospective employees would probably welcome it as well.

She also wanted the vetting system to apply to anyone training for a carer career that brings him or her into contact with children. “For example, if a crèche takes in a student they need a vetting procedure so that they know who they are taking on.”

Currently, organisations involved with children have to ask their prospective employees to apply to the Garda Commissioner under the Data Protection Act for a statement showing they have no convictions, a copy of which is given to the employer. “That is not good enough,” said Ms Prendiville who said child protection procedures had to operate on the balance of probability and that was being applied to the vetting procedure proposed by Fine Gael.

Fine Gael spokesperson on education and science Olwyn Enright said her party believed that staff or volunteers, either full or part time, should be vetted before taking up a position where they would have substantial unsupervised access to children.

Ms Enright said Fine Gael would be sending copies of their policy document entitled Keeping Children Safe to organisations and persons with an interest in child protection.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Government must act on their proposals. “Every continuing day without a proper vetting process is another day of potential risk to children, a risk that we can make efforts to minimise if there is the political will to do so,” he said.

Ms Enright pointed out that Northern Ireland had been to the forefront of comprehensive vetting in Europe and their proposals had already been welcomed by the NSPCC in Belfast.

“Every day, due to Government failure to put vetting procedures in place, children and vulnerable adults are denied a basic form of protection that is within the power of the State to provide,” she said.

She said the issue should be tackled immediately and their policy document showed how it could be done.