Garda Vetting Information
The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012-2016 make it mandatory for people carrying out relevant work with children or vulnerable adults to be vetted.
The Compliance Unit in the Garda National Vetting Bureau ensure that relevant organisations are adhering to their statutory obligations. One of these obligations is to only vet people who carry out relevant work. The roles for which vetting is required are described below.
An individual cannot make a vetting application on their own behalf. Vetting is always carried out by the relevant organisation for which you work.
Process
Vetting Applications
Applications for vetting are submitted electronically in a process known as E-Vetting. The National Vetting Bureau (NVB) no longer accepts paper applications.
Please see Vetting Invitation Form (NVB 1 Form or Parish NVB 1 Form) You should give this to the applicant and ask him or her to complete Section 1 and 2. Section 3 is to be completed on behalf of the organisation requesting the vetting (parish/school/diocesan agency/etc.). At this point in the process you must validate the identity of the applicant.
The applicant must provide a valid email address. If the applicant does not have their own email address they can use the email address of a family member or friend, if they are happy to do so, or use an email address provided by the organisation for whom they wish to be vetted.
If the applicant does not have access to an electronic device one should be provided for them for the purpose of completing their application.
Citizen Information Centres and public libraries can also provide assistance and access to computers for applicants and their staff are aware of the requirements of E-Vetting.
Proof of Identity
NVB recommend that a minimum of two forms of identification, 100 points , must be produced to validate the identity of the applicant. One of these should be photographic and one dated no more than 6months old with the applicant’s current address. So, for example, a passport or driving licence plus a letter or utility bill will suffice.
The Archdiocese of Dublin is unable to accept the Public Services Card (PSC) as a form of identification, even where the cardholder voluntarily tenders it for this purpose. This is because it contains their PPS number. Accepting the PSC would be an offence under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (Section 263, subsection 4).
Parishes
Parishes should email the Invitation Form (Parish NVB 1 Form) and photocopies of ID to this office at vetting.processing@dublindiocese.ie This information will be retained by the diocesan vetting office and does not require to be held in the parish. Once you receive the Disclosure back you can shred the Invitation Form and ID.
We request that you input the applicant’s details on the excel sheet that was sent to you. This should be emailed to us in excel format (not pdf) and it is then copied directly to the NVB site.
Although parishes should not retain the supporting documentation they should however keep a register of parish volunteers that records the date on which they were vetted.
All other organisations (incl. schools)
Other organisations, including schools, should email the applicants’ details in excel format to the diocesan vetting office, using the excel sheets that were sent to you. You are required to retain the Invitation Form (NVB 1 Form ) and copies of ID in either paper or electronic format locally for as long as the person is working for you or until you get them re-vetted.
Once the details have been submitted the applicant will then receive an email from NVB with their online application form (NVB 2). If they do not complete this within 30days the form becomes invalid and they will have to re-apply. The applicant is emailed a reminder to complete this form 9days before it is due to expire. You should ensure that the applicant’s email address you provide us with is correct. You should also instruct the applicant to check his/her email account (including junk mail) regularly.
The organisation requesting the vetting must also provide an email to be notified of the completion of the vetting. This should not be a public email as sensitive information will be sent to it. It may be advisable to set up a vetting email address to be used for this purpose only.
Roles that require vetting in parishes and diocesan offices
The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 states that all those who engage in ‘relevant work or activities’ with children or vulnerable persons must be vetted. Included in the definition of ‘relevant work or activities’ is “Any work or activity as a priest or minister or any other person engaged in the advancement of any religious beliefs to children or vulnerable persons unless such work is incidental to the advancement of religious beliefs to persons who are not children or vulnerable persons” (Schedule 1, Part 1, Section 7 and Schedule 1, Part 2, Section 7).
A list of those parish ministries for which vetting is required is available here.
Vetting for parishes and diocesan offices may also be carried out by reference to other sections of the Act. For example, paragraph 4 of Schedule 1, Part 1, refers to supervision of children and paragraph 5 refers to the provision of educational, training, recreational, leisure, social or physical activities to children. There are similar provisions in Schedule 1, Part 2, relating to care of vulnerable persons (paragraph 3); the provision of educational, training, recreational, leisure, social or physical activities to vulnerable persons (paragraph 4) and the provision of advice, guidance and development services to vulnerable persons (paragraph 5). So, for example, those running educational or leisure activities for children or vulnerable persons on behalf of a parish or diocesan office require to be vetted.
Minors
Where an application is being made for a 16 or 17year old the consent of the parent / guardian must also be obtained (there is no facility to vet children under 16). This is done by asking the parent or guardian to fill up the form (NVB 3). In addition the email address provided on the vetting invitation form (NVB 1 Form ) and the telephone number is the email address and telephone number of the parent / guardian (not the young person).
Proof of identity must also be obtained for the parent / guardian and the young person.
Re-Vetting
The policy of the Diocese is that those in public ministry must be vetted every three years.
Section 20 of the Act, once enacted, provides for the re-vetting of employees and other workers after 3 years.
Confidentiality
Vetting is a confidential process and vetting information must only be shared between those with a right of access to it. Within a parish, diocesan office or school setting that means the applicant and the person who signs off on their application on behalf of the organisation.
Enquiries to: garda.vetting@dublindiocese.ie
Phone: 01 8360314