45,000 teachers slip vetting net [Independent.ie]
- Published: 04 March 2011
AS many as 45,000 teachers could escape garda vetting on their suitability to work with children because of a loopohle that gives them the right to refuse the checks.
Current legislation allows older primary and secondary school teachers to avoid the process -- despite plans to start vetting them later this year.
A total of 25,000 newer teachers who registered with the Teaching Council since 2006 have already been checked for any previous convictions or prosecutions.
However, no checks have been conducted on teachers who were automatically registered with the council when it was formally established that year.
The council said a lack of resources has delayed the roll-out of vetting to these older teachers until now.
Under the garda vetting procedures, details of all convictions and prosecutions are disclosed to the school -- with any crimes or allegations relating to child protection being of paramount importance as they would almost certainly preclude someone from working with children.
Sources confirmed that as long as the older teachers pay their annual registration fee of €90 to the council and remain in their existing school they can avoid vetting.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
