Garda vetting - timescale

YellowFeather

Hey all

I'm trying to register as a volunteer for a charity and, as part of that process, I have to get a background check carried out.

I've downloaded the form, and it says that the current waiting time for vetting is 16 weeks! Does it really take that long? I want to get involved sooner rather than later 'cause I can only do evenings / weekends, and, come the summer, work is going to be a lot busier and I won't have as much availability as I do now.

Is there anything I can do to speed this up (like hand delivering the form to the charity and then to An Garda, or providing referee letters, or proof of current and previous addresses)?

Thanks!

Mycroft H

I think it also depends on what organisation is sending it in on behalf of you.

jammywammy

I believe they are processing applications from october at the moment. And yes, it takes quite some time.

YellowFeather

BX 19 wrote: »

I think it also depends on what organisation is sending it in on behalf of you.

Thanks. It's Special Olympics. Just wondering if there's anything I could do to make the process easier and speed it up.

jammywammy

YellowFeather wrote: »

Thanks. It's Special Olympics. Just wondering if there's anything I could do to make the process easier and speed it up.

You could ring the garda vetting office. They are open Mon to fri, 8-1 and 2-4.

triple-M

I applied for a voluntary position with the alzheimers society as a driver,they sent off my vetting last june,in october i rang to enquire and was told they were processing my forms,i got informed last week that my vetting had cleared,

seven_eleven

It really depends. Some people get theirs back in about a month, others it takes over 5 months.

seavill

YellowFeather wrote: »

Thanks. It's Special Olympics. Just wondering if there's anything I could do to make the process easier and speed it up.

No

There will now be longer delays with the new legislation in place. All sports bodies are now vetting all volunteers I can't imagine how long it will take for the next while.
In the last month I have sent off 3 forms for different things even though I have been vetted 20 times in the last 7 years. With a system like this it is no wonder they are constantly snowed under

familystand

All garda vetting forms go to thurles as far as i know, They are severely understaffed and it takes around 3 to 4 months to get a result, Thank the government cutbacks for these delays folks

YellowFeather

jammywammy wrote: »

You could ring the garda vetting office. They are open Mon to fri, 8-1 and 2-4.

Thanks. I am planning on ringing them, but I thought the good folks in this forum would know about this kind of thing!

triple-M wrote: »

I applied for a voluntary position with the alzheimers society as a driver,they sent off my vetting last june,in october i rang to enquire and was told they were processing my forms,i got informed last week that my vetting had cleared,

That's absolutely ridiculous - June to January?

seavill wrote: »

No

There will now be longer delays with the new legislation in place. All sports bodies are now vetting all volunteers I can't imagine how long it will take for the next while.
In the last month I have sent off 3 forms for different things even though I have been vetted 20 times in the last 7 years. With a system like this it is no wonder they are constantly snowed under

familystand wrote: »

All garda vetting forms go to thurles as far as i know, They are severely understaffed and it takes around 3 to 4 months to get a result, Thank the government cutbacks for these delays folks

That's just wrong. I know it's nothing to do with An Garda - God knows they do a harder job than most of us would be able for. But with vetting becoming more and more important for many professions (even forgetting volunteer work - which charities and organisations are crying out for), wouldn't you think it could be outsourced at least. I suppose not because vetting isn't going to generate any income; it's just helping a sector of vulnerable people, and, sure, why would the State bother doing something like that.

triple-M

YellowFeather wrote: »

That's absolutely ridiculous - June to January?

yep although i lived abroad for a while so that may have delayed it

donkey balls

Over the last year I had to apply for vetting twice the first time was to do with my ambulance placement which took about 5/6 months,The second time was for work and it took about three weeks as for getting in contact with the Vetting unit in Thurles there is no point as they can/will only speak with the organisation who sent in the application on your behalf.
Other posters have mentioned having been through the process a good few times with different orgs over the years the same as my self,But in the letter I received from the DOJ/Mr Shatter they explained approx 18000 orgs from employers to volunteers are registered with the Vetting unit.
They also mentioned that even if you have clearance just say working for the HSE you would still require another if you joined a volunteer group,As for the out sourcing of the vetting unit myself personally would not like to see this happen due to the private& confidential information the Gardai hold about the citizens of this country.