New proposals in the UK to bar anyone on its child Sex Offender Register working in schools highlight the inadequacy of child protection measures in Ireland, Fine Gael said today.
The party's education spokesperson, Olwyn Enright, was speaking after the British government unveiled the measures in response to the controversy over a man teaching at a Norfolk school despite being cautioned for downloading child pornography.
It later emerged that another teacher had been employed after he had been convicted of child sex abuse and that sex offenders were legally entitled to teach in schools under certain circumstances.
The new regime, due to effect in the coming weeks, will also apply to those convicted of sex offences against adults.
Ms Enright said the new measures showed Ireland is lagging behind the British on child protection.
The British move comes on the same day it emerged that gardaí are no longer in a position to vet UK residents applying to work with children here. The Garda Central Vetting Unit told the children's charity Barnardos that it was unable to continue providing the service.
It refused to comment on whether the move was cost related but said employers could apply directly to the UK police and "bear the costs themselves".
Up to four weeks ago, organisations working with children, including the Health Service Executive, could ask the unit to conduct background checks on prospective employees to find out if they are sex offenders, The Irish Timesreported today.
Ms Enright said the withdrawal of the service was "deeply worrying from the perspective of child safety".
"The movement of people between European countries has never been easier, and is particularly free between Ireland and Britain.
"In the past, much of our attention has focused on vetting cooperation with Northern Ireland, and an 'all island' approach to the issue of child protection is very important.
"However, Ireland needs to foster closer relationships across the EU, working with police forces of individual member states to allow for enhanced vetting and the exchange of information.
"If there is a question of cost arising from the number of requests being made to the UK authorities by the Central Vetting Unit, this matter will have to be dealt with as a matter of urgency," Ms Enright said.