No Garda vetting for HSE staff at centre of nepotism claims

TEMPORARY staff hired by the Health Service Executive to administer a Government supplementary welfare allowance started work last week without receiving Garda vetting.

The Irish Examiner has established that a group of community welfare officers (CWOs) placed on short-term contracts has not received proper Garda clearance to carry out their work.

All HSE staff employed as CWOs are required to undergo Garda vetting as they have access to sensitive, confidential information about social welfare recipients.