Just 529 vetting applications in two years

SPORTING organisations submitted just 529 applications for vetting to the gardaí in the last two years, despite the many thousands of employees and volunteers working in the area.

Children’s charities expressed outrage last night as it emerged that major sporting organisations working with children, including the GAA and the IRFU, did not have one person vetted by gardaí in that period.

Just three sporting organisations had background checks submitted to the revamped Garda Central Vetting Unit since its remit was extended, in April 2006, to cover volunteer groups.

These included Junior Golf Ireland (93 checks), the Football Association of Ireland (387) and the Irish Pony Club (49).

According to the figures supplied by Justice Minister Brian Lenihan’s office, the three groups were the only bodies under the umbrella of the Irish Sports Council which submitted vetting applications. The GAA yesterday said it was eager to vet its 60,000 officials and volunteers, who working with up to 300,000 children.

The IRFU also admitted that none if its employees and volunteers working with children had yet been vetted.

The GAA’s director of games Pat Daly said there was a delay getting volunteers vetted.

“There are a hell of a lot of people there (to be vetted).

“We have guidelines in place though on best practice working with children.”

The GAA want statutory vetting of all volunteers, which exists already for its officials in the North.

“If that’s happening in the six counties, why can’t it happen here?” asked Mr Daly.

The GAA will next Tuesday meet with the Irish Sports Council to push for a date in late autumn to begin vetting officials. It expects it will take two to three years to complete.

The Community Games, whose volunteers work with around half a million children annually, also admitted last night not one person has yet been vetted by gardaí.

“It’s something we have been keen to progress,” conceded the games’ chief executive Donal Buggy.

The Irish Sports Council conceded only a “relatively small number” of officials with sporting bodies had been vetted. Bernie Priestley, in charge of the council’s code of ethics, admitted it was a matter of waiting and gardai had begun liaising with bodies.

However, chief executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance Gillian Van Turnhout said she was shocked such a small number of vetting applications were submitted to gardaí.

“I’m extremely surprised. I think parents should be concerned that organisations don’t have the procedures in place to vet them.”