What is Garda vetting
The law makes it a criminal offence for some people who fail to notify their employers they
are guilty of certain criminal offences before taking a job or performing a service. This duty
to notify your employer relates primarily to sex offenders guilty of offences committed in
Ireland and abroad.
An important element in promoting the welfare and protection of children is an appropriate
human resource management policy relating to the recruitment and selection of staff and
volunteers in an organisation providing services to children.
It is essential that childcare providers take all reasonable steps to ensure that only suitable
persons are recruited to work within their service.
A proper selection process is one of the most effective means of evaluating an applicant’s
suitability and may, in itself, act as a deterrent to potential abusers
Garda Vetting is also only given for a specific employment so when a person is changing
employment it is good practice to renew Garda Vetting. Each Vetting Letter will show the
date on which it was issued, therefore, the older the letter, the less reliable it is. At present
there is no actual expiry date but it is expected that renewal will be within a 5 year cycle.
Childcare regulations and Garda Vetting as a Requirement
The 2006 Revised Pre-school Regulations Garda Vetting regulations state the following
under Part II, Section 8 (2):
“A person carrying on a pre-school service shall ensure appropriate vetting of all staff,
students and volunteers who have access to a child:
(a) by reference to past employer references in particular the most recent employer reference,
in respect of all staff, and
(b) by reference from reputable sources, in respect of all students and volunteers, and
(c) by acquiring Garda vetting from An Garda Síochána when An Garda Síochána have set
down procedures to make such vetting available, and
(d) in circumstances where Garda vetting is not available for staff, students and volunteers
who have lived outside the jurisdiction, by ensuring that these persons provide necessary
police vetting from other police authorities.
Section 8(3) Such vetting procedures shall be carried out prior to any person being appointed
or assigned or being allowed access to a child in the pre-school service.”
Garda Vetting is only one part of good recruitment practice and it is imperative that
employers check at least two references prior to the final recruitment stage
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Garda vetting unit The Garda Central Vetting Unit deals with requests to vet certain prospective employees. It
only deals with requests from organisations that are registered with the Unit and not from
individuals.
Organisations that require Garda vetting must register with the Garda Central Vetting Unit –
If you are applying for a position that requires you to have Garda vetting you will be sent a
Garda Vetting Application form by the registered organisation/service/prospective employer
where you are applying.
Garda Central Vetting Unit
Racecourse Road, Thurles, Tipperary, Ireland
Tel:(0504) 27300 / Locall:1890 488 488
Homepage: http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=1535&Lang=1
Where childcare services should apply for garda vetting for prospective
employees, students, volunteers Childcare providers who are members of National Voluntary Childcare Organisations such as
Early Childhood Ireland, St. Nicholas Montessori College of Ireland should contact their
respective organisation directly to process vetting applications for prospective staff members,
volunteers etc.
Barnardos is assisting in the processing of Garda Vetting applications for a number
groups/organisations who are not directly registered with the Garda Central Vetting Unit.
Barnardos contact details are as follows T: 021 4547060 / E: vetting@barnardos.ie
A: Barnardos Vetting Service, The Bowling Green, White Street, Cork
Police Clearance
Police clearance refers to the checking of information held on Police files for those who
worked or lived outside Ireland in order to ensure that appropriate checks have been made on
any person who have access to a child or vulnerable people
There is a 'Guidance on obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate' link on
www.mayochildcare.ie listing contact details of how to go about obtaining a police clearance
cert. if you have worked in another country.
There is also a link on www.mayochildcare.ie 'Appendix 11' HSE regulations template which
can be used to check if you have sufficient and correct information on each member of staff
[including volunteers and students].
Referenced from -
www.citizensinformation.ie and www.earlychildhoodireland.ie
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Appendix 11: Details of qualifications & verification of; references & verification of;
processed Garda Vetting & Police Clearance for staff/volunteers & students
Name of Pre-School/Early Years Service________________ TYPE:
_________________________________ DATE: __________________
Na
me
Applica
tion/
CV on
file Y/N
Interv
iew
Date
Ident
ity
chec
k?
How
?
Qualific
ation &
awardin
g body
& date
of
certifica
tion
copy in
file
Date
Refere
nce 1
Recei
ved
Date
Refere
nce 1
Verifi
ed
Date
Refere
nce 2
Recei
ved
Date
Refere
nce 2
Verifi
ed
Gard
a
Vetti
ng
appli
ed
for
Y/N
Date
Proces
sed
Garda
Vettin
g on
file
Y/N?
Date
Police
cleara
nce
on
file?
Y/N?
Date
of it?
Posit
ion
St
art
Da
te
This form makes it clear to see the dates on which a person submitted a CV/Application
going right through the chronological process of references and vetting and the start
date of their job.
Declaration: I the proprietor/person carrying on a preschool/early year’s service believe
the above to be true and correct:
Signed: __________________
____________________________
Print Name: ___________________________ Date:
Witnessed by Inspector: Signed: ______________________ Print Name:
________________________ Date: _____________________
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