Garda Vetting

O’Dwyers GAA is committed to the welfare and protection of all our members.  As part of this commitment, the Club requires all mentors and other members to comply with the legal requirement to have Garda Vetting before carrying out any activities involving children.

Obtaining Vetting is a legal requirement pursuant to the National Vetting Bureau (Children & Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 – 2016.  The Club has a statutory obligation to ensure that all persons who undertake ‘relevant work’ with children are vetted.

The term ‘relevant work’ in the GAA includes any role of responsibility such as coaching, managing or training underage teams or indeed adult teams that contain any player under 18 years of age.  It also applies to organising underage activities or refereeing underage games.

Garda Vetting must be obtained before taking up any of the above roles.  It is a criminal offence for a person acting on behalf of the GAA, or for a GAA Club to permit any person to commence working with children, without obtaining appropriate Garda vetting in respect of the role for which they have been recruited.

The following steps are required to obtain Garda Vetting:-

Step1: Logging in to Foireann

You will need to create an account to begin the vetting process. Log in to Foireann

You will need to select the club you are a member of and wish to be vetted under. Your Club will then approve your membership.

If you have an account already or have difficulties creating an account please contact Logging into Foireann – Gaelic Athletic Association

Step 2: Gaelic Games Vetting Invitation Form

Click here for guidance on how to complete Gaelic Games Vetting Invitation Form

Once you have logged into your account on Foireann, please

  • Click on the Qualifications and Vetting tab and then click Apply to be Vetted.
  • Ensure the current details on your profile are correct.
  • Select the Club and or Association you wish to be vetted for and the role you are applying for vettingA list of roles can be found here.

It is a requirement by the Garda National Vetting Bureau that an individual seeking vetting is validated that the individual is who they say they are. Therefore, you must provide proof of your identity to be vetted. You must complete this requirement at the initial step of your application, failure to do so will see your application rejected.

It is now a requirement to upload a copy or screenshot of your Photo ID (passport or driver’s licence) and proof of your current address in the form of a Utility Bill (no more than 6 months old). You are also required to print and sign the Gaelic Game Vetting ID Validation Form and upload this as part of your vetting application. The full list of documents which are accepted for verification can be found here

Your Club Children’s Officer will then check your ID Documentation and your signed Gaelic Games Vetting ID Validation Form. If the documents are correct your application will be validated by your Club Children’s Officer and submitted to the GAA. If the documents are not correct your Club Children’s Officer will reject your application and you will be required to upload the correct documentation.

Please notify our Children Officers (Mary Kenny or Ronan Coone) when you have completed step 2 by emailing childrensofficer@odwyersgaa.com

Step 3: Completing the National Vetting Bureau EVetting Application form

Once you complete the Gaelic Games Invitation Form the information provided is forwarded to the NVB by the GAA and you will receive an online NVB Vetting Form to complete. Please do not contact the National Vetting Bureau (NVB) regarding your application as they are unable to deal with individual requests from GAA applicants. If you have a query regarding your application, please contact the GAA and not the National Vetting Bureau.

The NVB will issue you with the NVB Vetting Application form. This will be issued to the email address you provided in your Gaelic Games Invitation Form.

Completing this form is a confidential matter between you and the NVB. All sections of the form including current and previous addresses, email addresses and contact telephone numbers, information on convictions and prosecutions (if any), plus other information will be required when completing the form.

Please ensure that if you have lived in an address in Northern Ireland that you enter the Postcode for the address.

Once all sections of the form have been answered this then completes your application process for E Vetting in the GAA and within a short period of time, you shall be contacted by the GAA to inform you as to the outcome of the vetting application.

You and your Club Children’s Officer will be notified when the vetting process has been completed.

A person must be in receipt of a vetting acceptance letter before the person can commence their role.

Each of the three Gaelic Games Associations recognises each other’s vetting.

All GAA Vetting queries should be forwarded to evetting@gaa.ie

Further questions

If you have any questions about Garda Vetting please contact any of our Children’s Officers or by emailing childrensofficer@odwyersgaa.com

Useful Links:- Vetting in the GAA http://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/child-welfare-and-protection/vetting

FAQ from Garda  https://vetting.garda.ie/Help/FAQ