I refer to the commitments in the programme for Government on employment. We have a problem with regard to Garda vetting. If a substitute teacher in County Kerry gets Garda vetting for one school but gets offered work in another school, he or she has to go through the Garda vetting process again. This is totally ridiculous. I appreciate that there must be checks and balances with regard to people working in our health service and our education system but if a person is Garda vetted and given clearance, surely that is good enough for that person to work in any school or in any other position in this country. The delay caused by having to reapply for Garda vetting again and again is a serious problem for the people I represent. In the past couple of weeks alone I have been absolutely inundated with cases of people having difficulties with Garda vetting. It is having an effect on their employment prospects. I ask the Government to make a sensible, proactive change to the Garda vetting system.

I too ask the Government to bring some common sense to our Garda vetting regime. Some might say I have a conflict of interest because I have an old bus and my drivers have to comply with Garda vetting guidelines. The escort on a bus might be vetted by the Garda to mind the children on the bus but he or she must be vetted again if he or she wants to drive the bus.

Transport services are very important for bringing disabled children to special schools and the elderly to day care centres. A driver can be Garda vetted by one contractor but if he wants to drive a bus for another contractor, he must be Garda vetted again. The same applies to day care centres. The girls and men vetted to work in a home in Kenmare must be vetted again to work in the home in Kilgarvan.

The Deputy might submit a topical issue.

It is absolutely ridiculous. If a person has been vetted by the Garda once, it should last for five years at least, or until the need arises to vet him or her again.

I have to declare a possible conflict of interest as I am an associated person.

I will ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to provide the Deputies with the reply on that although I recall raising this issue myself when I was in the Department of Health because people often move from one hospital to another every six months. It can be very inconvenient for people to have to be vetted by the Garda every six months. One of the explanations given to me at the time was that it is a matter of putting safety first rather than convenience for the employee because people who are a danger to children often move from job to job. That was one of the things that had to be taken into account.