29 April 2016: The Acting Minister for Justice and Equality has commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act, 2012 with effect from the 29 April 2016. This legislation will put on a statutory basis the requirement for all persons who are working with children and vulnerable persons to be the subject of a Garda vetting disclosure. The National Vetting Bureau will be established under the legislation and replaces the former Garda Central Vetting Unit.
In addition the Acting Minister for Education and Skills has commenced a number of amendments to the Teaching Council Act which places the Council’s role in relation to the vetting of teachers on a statutory basis.
The Teaching Council will continue to be the body which acts as the conduit for vetting for employment purposes and for registration as a teacher with the Council. There will be a number of changes to the vetting process which registered teachers, persons applying to be registered as teachers and schools in their role as employers will need to be aware. The more significant changes include:
- The process of applying for vetting and receiving the vetting outcome (disclosure) will be on-line;
- The Teaching Council Garda vetting letters will be replaced by the vetting disclosure being provided via an on-line secure portal;
- The Teaching Council will no longer issue Garda vetting letters;
- Applicants for vetting will be required to provide proof of identity; and,
- Previous Department of Education and Skills circulars relating to the employment of teachers in schools and Garda vetting have now been replaced by a newly published circular 0031/2016. School managements and teachers are urged to read the new circular.
Over the coming weeks the Teaching Council will be concentrating on completing the vetting of newly qualified teachers and teachers who are moving to new employment in schools where their previous Garda vetting letter is not on file. Teachers who submitted GV02 forms last summer will also be prioritised. In general, teachers who are remaining in their current employment will not be required to undertake the new vetting process in the immediate future.
Information and Frequently Asked Questions in relation to the new National Vetting Bureau vetting process are available here
Queries can be forwarded to the following email address: vetting@teachingcouncil.ie
