The National Vetting Bureau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 – 2016 commenced on 29th April 2016 and from that date a statutory obligation was placed upon the GAA to ensure that all persons who on our behalf undertook relevant work with children has been vetted prior to taking up that role.
The term ‘relevant work’ in the GAA includes any role of responsibility such as coaching, managing or training underage teams or indeed adult teams that contain any player under 18 yrs. of age. It also applies to organising underage activities or refereeing underage games.
- It is now a criminal offence, for a person acting on behalf of the GAA or for the GAA as an Association to permit any person to commence working with children on behalf of the Association without that person first obtaining a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau in respect of the role for which they have been recruited.
- From 29 April 2016 the GAA became one of the first organisations to replace ‘paper vetting’ with a new on line or E –Vetting programme.
- Statutory vetting will, in addition to a check for criminal records, include a check for any relevant soft information. Soft information officially referred to as ‘specified information’ in the Vetting Act, is information other than criminal convictions held by An Garda Síochána that may lead to a bona-fide belief that a person poses a threat to children or vulnerable persons.
- If a person has been vetted by the GAA, LGFA or Camogie prior to 29 April 2016 it will not be necessary for them to be re-vetted under the new Act, until such time as the GAA orders their re-vetting. After the commencement of Act any person subsequently vetted by the GAA shall be re-vetted within a five year period.
- Any person who was working with children in the GAA prior to the commencement of the Act and was not previously vetted for that role may continue in that capacity but must apply as a matter of priority to be vetted by the GAA under what is termed ‘retrospective vetting’. This term and these conditions are allowed for in the Act.
- GAA vetting services are available to any person over 16 yrs. of age fulfilling a role of responsibility with children or vulnerable adults. Consent from a Parental/Guardian shall be required for applicants between 16 and 18 yrs. of age.
- Application Process – Applicants must in the first instance complete the GAA E-Vetting ID Form. This form compels an applicant to provide proof of their identity to their Club Children’s Officer, who must verify that they have received the ID verification as required.
- Applicants will then be directed to the GAA on-line E-Vetting application form. On completion of this form the application will be forwarded to a County Vetting Clerical User who commences the process of issuing the National Vetting Bureau vetting form to the applicant’s email address for completion. Thereafter the applicant will receive a response from the GAA, once the form has been processed.
WARNING: In accordance with the Act the GAA shall not permit any person to undertake relevant work or activities with children on our behalf unless we receive a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau in respect of that person. A person who contravenes this section of the Act shall be guilty of an offence
Please click here to access presentation.E Vetting Legislation (1)
By Majella Boyd Thu 12th May
