Government assures full vetting for new garda recruits

The Government has stated that all garda recruits are fully vetted. This comes after the Opposition raised concerns that the vetting process has been weakened to boost recruitment numbers. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan faced strong criticism from Labour's Justice Spokesperson, Alan Kelly, during a debate in the Dáil. Kelly claimed that he had learned from gardaí that complete vetting was no longer being conducted for new recruits at the Garda Training College in Templemore. He expressed worry that this could compromise standards within the gardaí. In his defense, O'Callaghan said that the vetting process, managed by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, is the most thorough in the country. He acknowledged changes to the vetting method but insisted that recruits are still vetted properly. The process now includes an initial check of personal information when a recruit applies, followed by security and local vetting, along with a comprehensive check by the National Vetting Bureau later. O'Callaghan believes this system ensures that recruits are vetted effectively, comparable to previous methods. However, Kelly dismissed this assertion, arguing that it is misleading. He emphasized the need to guarantee that only suitable candidates are training to be gardaí. Kelly raised alarms about unvetted trainees gaining access to uniforms and weapons. He accused the Government of altering the vetting process to inflate recruitment figures. In response, O'Callaghan reiterated that all necessary vetting is completed before an individual officially becomes a garda.