Garda Vetting - what is involved?

Need a Username

This week I was applying for jobs to see if I had some better opportunities.

I got a call today from an agency then they sent me an email with a attachment for Garda Vetting form - I think this is because I could sometimes be sent to work in a hospital.

Anyway I’ve never been through the betting process and wondered what is involved. The form itself seem pretty basic - I would have expected it to involve more details.

I have no criminal past. Only encounter I’ve ever had with the Guards is when I fell asleep in a car across the road from a credit union. The ladies thought I was casing the place.

Do the Guards simply check whether I have been arrested or charged with anything?

Do they contact family members?

that is something I don’t want - the majority of them are assholes and I don’t want them knowing any of my business. As far as I’m concerned I am an orphan with one sister.

So if this job means someone contacts them then I will skip it

spurious

You fill in all the addresses you have lived at. The guards check have you any convictions.

They do not contact any family members.

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424674#Comment_118424674

Thank you.

The form the agency sent me only has room for one address.

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424756#Comment_118424756

That might just be a consent form for Garda vetting - did it include a field for your email address. If it is then the agency will forward a request to the Garda vetting agency and you get an email with a vetting number / link to fill in further details online, basically everywhere you have ever lived, whether you ever had another name, whether you have any convictions or have any prosecutions pending.

It then takes a few weeks to be be processed by the Garda vetting agency. That's it as far as I can rember for any positions I went for that required Garda vetting clearance

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424756#Comment_118424756

You will be emailed a link to a longer on-line form.

No family are contacted.

Need a Username

Thanks.

I assume this will be addresses in other countries too?

I’ve lived abroad for many years. Not one long stretch - 5 years there, one home, two years elsewhere.

will that slow down the process? zero legal issues abroad - which makes me sound like no fun at all :p

Mrs OBumble

Yes, they want every address

But you will likely be asked to get a police certificate for each foreign country. Start applying for these now.

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424927#Comment_118424927

I’ll look into this.

Truth be told I wasn’t applying just to see if there are better opportunities - I really do want to move from here. Job is grand but living situation is not great among other things. I’m just trying to stay upbeat about it.

I wasn’t expecting vetting. I do understand the need for it but it could take a long time. Plus I spend several years in China and moved around a lot. I expect thsi will add even more of a delay.

I’ve applied for other jobs. Hopefully they will start responding.

If I go to a Garda station will they explain what I need to do for these certificates?

Mrs OBumble

No the garda will not explain it.

Google to find out details.

Saint_Mel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424927#Comment_118424927

Haven't heard of that part before.

I've been vetted a number of times for work and sporting involvement and listed addresses in UK and Australia, but never had any questioned or additional requirements needed

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425241#Comment_118425241

I did a quick Google last night and regarding police certificates.

It is discussed on forums and a few sites and the opinion seems to be that it is impossible these in China, never mind if you now leave elsewhere and years have passed.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424802#Comment_118424802

More likely you will be required to provide certificates from those countries.

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424940#Comment_118424940

I posted that question as a kind of “thinking out load” because I assumed that a Garda would go through this with a person.

Your response see to be saying that if I went into a station and asked that they would refuse or simply not be able to explain it.

Seems odd that they couldn’t or wouldn’t answer some questions.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425269#Comment_118425269

The Garda vetting unit is a stand alone unit based in the country somewhere. They are the ones who will tell you what you need/want.

A guard in a station has nothing to do with vetting and fairly doubtful they would know anything about it.

https://vetting.garda.ie/

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425307#Comment_118425307

Thanks.

There didn’t seem to be a way to contact them though.

I did some more research and China is definitely going to be a problem regarding police certificates. One or two other countries might be too. I would like to know before it all starts.

So I would really like to know if that is going to affect the vetting. As eager as I am to get away from here I can’t go through this process and the waiting period if it is all for nothing.

I will phone the agency. They will surely be have done familiarity with problems in vetting.

[Deleted User]

phone 1890 488488

There is a contact page details on the website, but I can't link it for some reason.

You might be waiting for some of the countries to reply alright, but it's not going to affect your day to day life.

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425469#Comment_118425469

Thank you - I combed the pages but didn’t find that number

the waiting would affect my day to day life. Mental health wise I’m not in a great place at the the moment and if I’m going to fail the vetting because I can’t get a police certificate from China I would rather know now. That will be bad enough but waiting weeks and then finding out I can’t pass would be worse

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118424802#Comment_118424802

Any country you have lived in for more than six months will require a police certificate if it's the same vetting process I've gone through.

It wasn't an issue in my case but there must be a process to allow for countries that don't issue police clearance certificates to individuals.

In Ireland a person can't request vetting, only approved organisations. This can be an issue for someone emigrating to a country that requests a police certificate as a condition of approval. Most have a process for countries that don't issue police certificated to individuals. I would think the Garda vetting would have similar allowances.

Timfy

I moved to Ireland 12 yrs ago and I work in a school. As part of the vetting process I also had to get UK police vetting undertaken as well as Irish.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425241#Comment_118425241

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425307#Comment_118425307

They are not going to tell you how they operate for obvious reasons, the more you know about their approach the higher the chance you might be able to subvert it.

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426224#Comment_118426224

I didn’t thinking that.

However I did calm the number above and was told that the organisation hiring me decides if the want any police certificates from other countries. It has nothing to do with the Garda vetting process.

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118425844#Comment_118425844

Garda vetting told me that they have no requirement for police certificates from abroad - this is something that the recruiter decides themselves. If they want one they ask the prospective employee (or get it themselves - not 100% sure on which)

Ljmscooter

it also costs, for the uk one, but I only every had to do this once, and it covered you as long as you are no longer in the country, ( as long as the list of all the addresses you ever lived in , does not go back to the UK )

I get Garda vetting every 12 months,

https://www.mygov.scot/disclosure-types?via=https://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426224#Comment_118426224

They will tell you how to apply. I'm not sure how anyone could subvert it though?

Need a Username

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426985#Comment_118426985

actually you are right

You can’t cheat at this vetting

Notmything

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118430190#Comment_118430190

It would not be uncommon for people to omit the fact they lived overseas as it can be difficult to get clearance from some countries.

There was also an issue with people using names in Irish to avoid having declarations showing, but that's been addressed.

But tbf the vetting system itself seems fairly robust. From experience many of the issues that do occur are down to how the material was filled out.

Annasopra

Yes agreed

My 2 colleagues had to redo some garda vetting in the last few years

1 omitted the time she lived in Israel about 30 years ago and another guessed her addresses from over 50 years ago.

Sometimes its easier to just put your parents address for the period you were abroad.

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118426546#Comment_118426546

Yes, the Gardai are only responsible for vetting in the ROI. It is up to the prospective employer or the regulations that govern the employer to decide whether you need police vetting from other countries. I find that some countries issue them very quickly. I got one from Uganda a few days after I requested an employee get it.

Donnie2020

I want a vetting report about myself done, like a credit report

I'm not using a workplace or an organisation to get there as that is not what it's about.

I maybe doing some youth work in the future but that's only a voluntary role.

I would still like a garda vetting report done on me.

This is for my own peace of mind.

I dont believe i've been in any trouble for the record (pardon the pun) but that's not the point.

Lauras5839

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118997894#Comment_118997894

You cannot get a Garda vetting report done on yourself. Garda Vetting Bureau does vetting for relevant organisations registered with it and the only way you can get vetted is if you are going to be working for one of them and engaging in relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable people. You will also be vetted if you are going for a job through the Public Appointments Service or if you're going for licensing through the PSA or something like that.

Ubbquittious

Is there any way one would fail vetting even if they haven't been convicted of anything?