Bosses face 5 years’ jail for failing to vet staff

Employers will face up to five years in jail if they fail to seek Garda vetting for an employee who works with children.

A bill published yesterday also breaks legal ground in allowing gardaí to store and share information with organisations about a person who is considered to pose a risk to children, but who has not been convicted of such a crime.

Children’s agencies have welcomed the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2011, but said more resources will be needed to implement the new system and cope with the greater number of people requiring vetting.