Help with Garda Vetting

SilverHaze

Hi

I have an interview for a course called Healthcare support, if I get accepted I will need to be Garda vetted and also vetted for work experience in a Nursing home. This is where I'm confused a little bit and need advice on one part of the Garda vetting form.

I got a conviction when I was 18 for hitting someone(assault), with a €500 fine (17 years ago now, no trouble since). Under the FAQ section on the Garda Vetting page it says;

"A person shall not be obliged to provide details of any convictions to which Section 14A of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 applies."

and on the Citizen Information site there is;

Under the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions and Certain Disclosures) Act 2016, which came into effect on 29 April 2016, a range of minor offences will become spent after 7 years. This means that an adult convicted of an offence covered by the Act does not have to disclose the conviction after 7 years, except in certain circumstances.

What I'm confused about is, when I'm filling out the online Garda vetting form and where it asks do I have a conviction, do I tick Yes or No? and what about the vetting form for the Nursing home, do I put Yes or No for this?

Do I come under these two acts, and is it safe to tick No?

Thank you.

Lantus

Is your previous conviction among those listed????

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Lantus

I mean is the assault under those offences that are delisted after 7 years?

SilverHaze

Fred, It was my only time in trouble with the law and Lantus I could'nt find out if assault came under this, not much information in the acts.

Lantus

Reading around it looks like any conviction in the district and circuit courts that resulted in a prison term of less than 12 months or a fine is spent.

Convictions not spent include sexual offences and central criminal court convictions.

SilverHaze

That's the feeling I was getting too and it should be spent now you would be thinking, but do I have to state Yes or No on the online Garda vetting when they ask me if I have any convictions in Ireland or elsewhere?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

SilverHaze

Fred is that No to not spent or No on the online Garda vetting application? Here is a picture of the section on the online Garda application thats bothering me.

Lmklad

Just to throw a snapper, were you convicted and fined €500 or was it struck out on condition of payment to a poor box or did you get the Probation of Offenders act?

SilverHaze

Hi Lmklad

I was convicted and fined €500. I think bound to the peace for 2 years as well, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

boardsuser1

As someone convicted of Assault and having recently completed Garda Vetting, i can confirm that Assault will always show up no matter what, especially for the type of work you want OP.

There are 3 types of Assault.

Section 2 is minor assault

Section 3 is causing harm (ABH)

Section 4 is as good as killing someone.

I was convicted of section 2 on 2 occasions.

SilverHaze

Going by the types of Assault's, I would be under section 2.

If it does show up, would this effect me in getting the course? and if I do get the course, would I have trouble in getting work experience in a nursing home?

boardsuser1

SilverHaze wrote: »

Going by the types of Assault's, I would be under section 2.

If it does show up, would this effect me in getting the course? and if I do get the course, would I have trouble in getting work experience in a nursing home?

I was refused a job in Bus Eireann last year and a licence to work in security last month as a result of mine.

How old is the offence?

Is it your only conviction?

You have been convicted of an offence related to violence against another person, while not impossible it will be an uphill battle.

I lived in a residential home as a teenager, one of the staff there was convicted of assault, you could see in his demeanour he has a history. He's still in the job though.

SilverHaze

The offence is 17 years old and its my only conviction. Had interview today, looks like I'll be accepted. If getting into the course or finding employment after is an uphill battle, I wonder now is it worth going a head with it.

Did they state to you why they refused you the job?

boardsuser1

SilverHaze wrote: »

The offence is 17 years old and its my only conviction. Had interview today, looks like I'll be accepted. If getting into the course or finding employment after is an uphill battle, I wonder now is it worth going a head with it.

Did they state to you why they refused you the job?

If it is a one off and that far back you could well be ok.

If you get it I'd definitely go ahead with it if I were you.

Yes they referenced the assaults as the reason for refusal and they are still relatively 'fresh' at 5 & 7 years old even though it is 10 years almost since the offence date.