Garda Vetting

What is Garda Vetting?

Garda Vetting is a procedure that NUI Galway uses to certify whether or not a student who has been offered and accepted a programme has ever been convicted of a crime.

NUI Galway offers a number of programmes that require students to undertake placements with external agencies, which will bring them into contact with the public and in which they will assume positions of trust. To ensure the protection of the public, and safeguard public trust and confidence, the University is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake these programmes.

Who carries out the Garda Vetting?

The Garda National Vetting Bureau (GNVB)

How do I know if I have to be Garda Vetted?

Full lists of the programmes which require students to undergo the Garda Vetting process are available from: Programmes Requiring Garda Vetting

Who is responsible for Garda Vetting in NUI Galway?

In the case of NUI Galway, the Admissions Officer is the Garda Vetting Liaison.

Who needs to be Garda Vetted?

Any student who will have access to children and/or vulnerable persons as part of an NUI Galway programme need to be Garda Vetted.

Can I arrange Garda Vetting myself?

No. It must be arranged through the Admissions Office, NUI Galway on your behalf.

What is the procedure for Garda Vetting?

The below describes the details of the various stages that are involved in the Garda Vetting process.

• Applicants who have been offered and have accepted a place on the programme are emailed a Garda Vetting Pack and instruction for completion of the form from the Admissions Office within one week after the reply date for acceptance of the offer.
• Students complete provisional registration during first year registration process. They acknowledge at registration that their registration process is not complete until they have satisfied Garda Vetting requirements for the programme.
• Students return their completed confidential form to the Admissions Office where the forms are checked. Once the Garda Vetting Liaison is satisfied that all sections of the form are duly completed, the form is signed.  Then, in line with the requirements of the GNVB, a batch summary form is completed and the forms are forwarded to the GNVB in Thurles.
• The GNVB responds to the vetting request by ticking and signing one of the relevant sections of the form.

The form and any attached documentation are returned in confidence to the Garda Vetting Liaison.

• Once the information has been confirmed, it is then reviewed and the Garda Vetting Liaison classifies as follows:
• No previous convictions recorded
• Minor Offence
• Serious Offence
• Very Serious Offence
• The names of all students where no previous convictions have been recorded are available to the relevant head of School/College administrator. These students are deemed suitable for placement and may attend placements as required.
• With regard to minor offences, serious offences & very serious offences further action will be taken as per the Garda Vetting policy document.

Students who have satisfactorily completed Garda Vetting (and any other requirements of the registration process) will be deemed to be fully registered as students of NUI Galway.

Where can I get information on the NUI Galway Garda Vetting policy?

Information on the NUI Galway Garda Vetting policy can be found here: Garda Vetting Policy Document

If I have been previously or recently Garda Vetted for another organisation do I still have to be Garda Vetted?

Yes. Garda Vetting is carried out separately by each organisation with whom you work or volunteer. As a result, no matter how many times you have been vetted by other organisations previously, you will need to fill out the form again for NUI Galway.

How long does the process of Garda Vetting take?

Typically, Garda vetting can take between 6 and 12 weeks from the receipt of a correctly completed Garda Vetting Application Form. If a form is incorrectly completed, it will be returned to the Garda Vetting Liaison for correction. This will delay the Garda vetting process.

Where can I get the Garda Vetting forms?

• A Garda Vetting pack will be sent to the NUI Galway email account of all first year Undergraduate students after they accept the offer of their place through the CAO from the Undergraduate Admissions Office.
• A Garda Vetting pack will be sent to the email account of all Postgraduate Students after they accept the offer of their place through PAC from the Postgraduate Admissions Office.
• A Garda Vetting pack will be sent to all other adhoc cases from the Admissions Office as the need arises.

Do I get the Garda Vetting Form signed with the local Garda Station?

You do not get the Garda Vetting form signed with the local Garda Station; we will submit the Garda Vetting Form to the Garda National Vetting Bureau on your behalf.

What information is included in the Garda Vetting pack?

In the pack you will receive the following:

• Cover letter
• NUI Galway Guide to Garda Vetting (flowchart)
• Garda Vetting Application Form (applies to all applicants)
• Parent Consent & Self Declaration Form (only applies to applicants under 18 years of age)
• Instructions on how to complete the Garda Vetting Application Form (applies to all applicants)
• Garda Vetting/Police Clearance Form (applies to all applicants)

Where do you submit the completed Garda Vetting forms?

Students are required to submit the completed form(s) by posting to the Admissions Office, Garda Vetting Section, NUI Galway or by putting them in an envelope and dropping them into the mail box at SID (Student Information Desk) on the ground floor of Áras Uí Chathail.

What is police clearance?

If you have resided for six months or more ( including time spent away on Erasmus) in any country outside of Ireland from age 18 upwards you must obtain a Police Clearance Certificate from that country. 

What is Police Clearance for the Professional Masters in Education (PME) and An Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas (MGO)?

In line with Teaching Council requirements, a student who has resided outside Ireland and/or Northern Ireland for three years or more in total, after the age of 18, will be required to provide a Police Clearance Certificate from the country/countries of residence abroad in addition to complying with the Garda Vetting Process.

How do I go about obtaining a police clearance certificate?

The following websites provide information on how to obtain Police Clearance Certificate (s) which you may find useful:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-police-clearance.html for details about obtaining Police Clearance Certificate (s) from various countries around the world.

If you cannot find any information using the above links regarding your relevant country/countries, we would advise you to contact the relevant Embassy regarding procedure for obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate from that country.

How often do you need to be vetted?

Students should be vetted at the commencement of a new programme of study at NUI Galway but the University reserves the right to request that you undergo further Garda Vetting at any stage during your course of study.

Should I disclose any conviction or offence that was “minor” or a long time ago?

Yes. You should disclose any court conviction regardless of location, timing or significance, including what may be considered as “minor” or “non-conviction”.

What if I am a Non-EU student coming to study at NUI Galway for the first time?

All Non-EU Students must be Garda Vetted, regardless of the length of time spent in the Republic of Ireland. A Police Certificate must also be provided (see above).

What information will be disclosed when the form is returned?

Particulars of the criminal record (if any) relating to the person, and a statement of the related information (if any) to the person which the Chief Vetting Bureau Officer has determined should be disclosed.

Or it will state that there is no criminal record or specified information, in relation to the person.

 What is a “criminal record” ?

A “criminal record”, in relation to a person, means a record of the person’s convictions, whether within or outside the State, for any criminal offences, together with any ancillary or consequential orders made pursuant to the convictions concerned, or a record of any prosecutions pending against the person, whether within or outside the State, for any criminal offence, or both;

Who sees the results of a vetting application?

The results are issued directly to the Garda Vetting Liaison within NUI Galway; the outcome is made available to your Head of School/College Administrator. This information may be passed onto the placement agency subject to the Data Protection Acts.

What do I need to do when going on placement?

You may request a letter for your placement agency from your Head of School/College Administrator.

What information must be provided as part of Garda Vetting?

• You will be asked to provide personal information –name(s), date of birth, city or town of birth etc.
• ALL addresses both within and outside the State at which you have lived from birth to the present date.
• List of all convictions (if any) for offences in the State and elsewhere.
• Declaration of applicant signing (signature, print name and date, your signature authorises the Vetting Bureau to check this information and share the results with the University).
• Proof of address.

What is an Alias?

An Alias is any other name that you are known by other than the forename that is recorded on your birth certificate. ( For example, someone named Kathleen may be known as Kate or Katie)

Do I need to include all addresses?

Yes, all addresses from birth to present date including term addresses and addresses outside of Ireland and/or Northern Ireland should be stated on the application form.

I cannot remember the month of the year in which I moved address. What should I do?

If you cannot remember the month in which you moved to any address an estimation of the month is acceptable.

I cannot remember some of my addresses. What should I do?

If you cannot remember the full address please submit as much of the address as possible for example the street/road, town and country.  You will be required to enter a note on the form stating that you cannot remember the full address.

I was travelling for a year and did not have one fixed address. What should I do?

For that particular timeframe you must enter a note on the form stating that you were travelling and did not have one fixed address. Please name the countries through which you travelled.

Do I need to sign the form?

The form must contain your original signature and cannot be completed by a third party on your behalf. The form must NOT be signed by a representative of the Gardaí at local level.

Can I include an initial in my signature (to indicate an additional name)?

If you wish to include an initial in your signature for example John M. Smyth, you must provide the full name the initial stands for in the Forename section and the print name section. (i.e. John Mark)

Can I use the Irish Version of my name as my signature?

The signature used must match the name in which the form is completed.  You may complete the Forename and Surname sections in both the English & Irish version of your name and then sign the form in either the English or Irish version.

I cannot remember the month and year of a conviction that I have.  What should I do?

Please provide an approximate month and year.

Do I need to submit an original or certified copy of police clearance certificate(s).

Certified copies of police clearance documents from all jurisdiction(s)/state(s) of previous residence referring to the time spent in each country. NUI Galway only accepts police clearance documents which are less than one year old or which cover the entire period of residence in other jurisdictions.

Only certified copies of the above documentation should be submitted. Uncertified copies will not be accepted and will be returned with a request for a certified copy.

How do I obtain a Certified Copy of my original document?

To certify a photocopy of an original document, a member of An Garda Síochána or a solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths must sight the original document and the photocopy of the document at the same time.  The certifier will provide a signature, stamp and date on the photocopy which confirms that the photocopy is a true copy of the original document.