Vetting of people working with children is to be further extended next year, Minister of State for Justice Brian Lenihan announced yesterday.
He said that the sectors to be included were private hospitals, residential childcare centres, agencies working with the homeless, local community initiatives, arts organisations and private tuition centres and organisations.
Mr Lenihan officially opened the new expanded and decentralised Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) in Thurles, Co Tipperary.
"In the past year, the unit has successfully managed its move from Dublin and now, most importantly, the expansion of vetting to all persons working with children and vulnerable adults has commenced," he said.
Mr Lenihan said that during the rest of this year vetting would be extended to all remaining prospective full-time and part-time employees of the Health Service Executive and certain agencies funded by it. Previously, only full-time employees were vetted.
He added that all new teachers in the primary and post-primary education sectors, starting from the new school year this autumn, would be included.
It was also intended to vet all new non-teaching staff of primary and post-primary schools, such as caretakers, also from the autumn.