Fine Gael has published a new policy document that proposes the vetting of all professionals who work or come into regular contact with children.
The document, entitled Keeping Children Safe,proposes the extension of the current Central Vetting Unit to allow charities, voluntary groups, schools and sporting organistaions avail of its facilities.
Current vetting procedures in Ireland for persons working with children or vulnerable adults is described in the document as "inadequate" and "in need of urgent reform" while the number of groups it proposes to vet has also been increased dramatically.
Under the new proposals vetting will be carried out for:
- staff at Health Boards, and organisations funded by the Health Boards;
- teachers and other staff at schools, both at primary and secondary level;
- charities, voluntary sporting and youth organisations that seek access to these vetting procedures for their staff or volunteers.
"The Keeping Children Safedocument puts forward solid proposals on how a thorough system of vetting could be put in place in Ireland," Fine Gael's Spokesperson on Education & Science, Ms Olwyn Enright, said.
"This would provide a greater degree of security to children and vulnerable adults than they have at the moment, as our current vetting systems are in most cases non-existent, and in other areas are deeply and disturbingly inadequate."
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in Northern Ireland has welcome the proposals and said the document represented a huge move forward in the debate on vetting procedures for children in the South.