The slow pace of Garda vetting is costing companies staff, a healthcare provider has said. 

Last year, there were over 600,000 applications for Garda vettings; however, many are repeat applications due to people changing jobs. 

Wicklow TD Edward Timmins has described it as “cumbersome” system and called for it to be streamlined. 

On Lunchtime Live, healthcare provider Seán Lyons said he has had “loads of difficulties” with the system. 

“Every day, we're submitting Garda vetting requests for new staff and for existing staff for renewals,” he said. 

“The average is around 16 working days to return it and it's 28 at the moment and more.

“I've talked to some of my colleagues around the country and it’s as high as 40 days.”

Mr Lyons said it would be far simpler for is people were to apply for Garda vetting themselves, rather than through prospective employers. 

“It's attached to the business as opposed to attached to the person, the individual, which is the wrong way around really,” he said. 

“So, every time a person moves from one job to another, where Garda vetting is required, they have to be vetted once again. 

“I've seen people vetted twice in a fortnight because they moved jobs.”

Voluntary organisations

Mr Lyons continued that the delays to Garda vetting also have an impact on the voluntary sector. 

“This affects GAA, it affects charity organisations, the HSE, you name it, anywhere there's vetting required,” he said. 

“It's just so time consuming and it just means sometimes you're waiting, you hire somebody, you interview them, get them the job and they might not hear from you again for eight weeks - maybe more in some cases. 

“At that stage, they've probably gone and found some other job, a different job where they don't need vetting.”

Main image: Gardaí. Picture by: RollingNews.ie.