A HEATED discussion erupted between Councillors Lisa McDonald and George Lawlor at a recent meeting of Wexford Borough District Council on the matter of Garda vetting.

Councillor Lawlor proposed that an individual have their vetting status linked to their PPS number.

A person should then received a card stating that they have been vetted and that such vetting is valid for a number of years, the Councillor proposed.

“I read an article recently that said 700 special needs assistants weren’t available for employment as they hadn’t yet received Garda vetting,” he said.

Receiving a card with confirmation of vetting received, would, he said, increase efficiency in the system and create huge savings of time and effort for people who currently have to be vetted for each individual organisation for which they require it.

Councillor Ger Carthy also commented on the motion, giving a personal perspective in saying “we can’t get GAA coaches into the schools because they need to be garda vetted for every individual school… it can’t be continued.”

Read more in the Wexford Echo.