The Government was today urged to introduce a Garda vetting system for volunteers working for Ireland's largest youth organisation.
In 1999 an existing Garda clearance scheme covering the National Youth Federation was withdrawn following a decision by the then Justice Minister that it breached data protection legislation.
Federation spokesman Mr Gearóid Ó Maolmichil said his organisation did not have the same vetting system in place as others working with young people - for example health board employees.
A certificate from the Garda would indicate whether a potential recruit is guilty of a crime against children.
Mr Ó Maolmichil told RTÉ radio's Morning Irelandprogramme: "We need to be sure that when parents send their children to us that we have proper procedures in place and this is a missing piece of the jigsaw."
He said the federation has a "comprehensive child protection policy" involving interviews, references and training.
But he added: "It is a natural instinct for a paedophile or anyone else involved in abuse of young people to try to obtain access to young people - we have the procedures in place to stop that.
"The procedures we have are fine and they are working but we would have been absolutely sure had we got that extra part of the jigsaw."
PA